Important storylines to watch for Packers vs. Lions in Week 9

After a narrow victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 8, the Green Bay Packers will host the Detroit Lions in a battle for supremacy in the NFC North.

It isn't going to be easy though. Jordan Love's status for this game is still uncertain, and the Packers are dealing with a handful of other injuries to key players. The good news is that NFL Network reports Love is expected to play.

As always, there will be plenty to watch, but here are three of the biggest storylines you should be following in this one.

How does Jared Goff fare in an outdoor environment?

Jared Goff has been a revelation for the Lions this season. Under his stewardship, Detroit's offense is averaging a league-high 33.4 points per game and ranks fourth in EPA per play.

The Lions' passing game has been particularly explosive in recent weeks. In their last five games, they've accumulated 24 offensive touchdowns and had only 20 incompletions.

It is tough to see how the Packers put a stop to this, but there is reason to be hopeful. Goff's performance has a tendency to fluctuate depending on whether he is playing indoors or outdoors.

Since Week 1 of 2023, Goff has played six outdoor games. In those games, he completed 63.5 percent of his passes, averaging 6.4 yards per attempt. He threw for a combined five touchdowns and four interceptions.

That is a far cry from the player we see indoors. In those games, Goff has completed 70.4 percent of his passes, averaging 8.3 yards per attempt with 42 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions.

With a rainy forecast for Sunday's game in Lambeau Field, it will be interesting to see how Goff performs in his first outdoor game of the season.

A banged-up Packers secondary

Being without several defensive starters is never good. It happening just as you are about to face off against one of the league's most potent offenses is even worse. That is the situation the Packers find themselves in ahead of Week 9.

Neither Jaire Alexander or Evan Williams have practiced this week. Alexander is questionable, and the Packers have already ruled out Williams. We will have a new-look Packers secondary on our hands.

Without Williams, we will likely see Javon Bullard move back to safety alongside Xavier McKinney. That will leave a hole at nickel, which will likely be filled by Keisean Nixon moving back inside from the boundary.

If that happens, the Packers will have a completely new look at outside cornerback, with Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine the likely starters.

None of this sounds good. Bullard and Nixon have been good contributors in their respective roles and moving them out of those spots isn't likely to help. Additionally, Stokes has already been benched this season for his poor performance and Valentine hasn't started a game since 2023.

It's fair to say that defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has earned the benefit of the doubt and he has shown the ability to get the most out of this defense this season. Whether he can contain the Lions with a banged up secondary will be a big test.

Can the Packers run the ball against Detroit's defense?

Jordan Love's ability to play this weekend is going to be huge in determining the outcome of this game, but regardless of who starts, the Packers will need to be able to generate success through their running game.

Even if Love is able to suit up, he is certainly not going to be at full fitness and the Packers will be keen to establish the run to take some of the pressure off him. If Love can't start and Malik Willis is under center, then the run game will be even more important.

The worry will be that Josh Jacobs is listed as questionable for this game. If he is unable to suit up, the Packers will be forced to rely on Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks. Both are good players, but neither has any history of leading an NFL backfield.

The Packers are also facing a Lions defense that has been very good against the run this season. Detroit is allowing the eighth-lowest EPA per rush this season and sits 11th in rush success rate allowed.

Finding success on the ground against this defense is going to be crucial if the Packers are to keep ahead of the chains and ease the burden on whoever is playing quarterback.

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