DETROIT — Aidan Hutchinson knew what was on the line for the Detroit Lions in Thursday’s game against the Green Bay Packers — a puncher’s chance to stay alive in the division race and re-ignite their playoff hopes.
Both now look bleak for Detroit [after a 31-24 loss to Green Bay](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2025/11/depleted-detroit-lions-fall-again-to-packers-as-playoff-chances-take-a-hit.html), which completed a season sweep and positioned the Packers as potential favorites to win the NFC North.
“Yeah, this was not expected,” Hutchinson told reporters. “It obviously puts us behind the eight ball in terms of what we want to do this season. It’s real adversity, and we have a decision to make — a decision to continue to figure it out and let this thing click on all three phases.
“And yeah, we got a good challenge next week in Dallas to do that. So really, we got to learn what we can and try to move on as fast as we can. And I think there’s a lot of football to be played.”
The star pass rusher, who logged six tackles, struggled along with the rest of Detroit’s front to generate a single sack on Jordan Love or create consistent pressure.
Love only took two quarterback hits all afternoon, operating comfortably in the pocket from start to finish.
That clean platform allowed Love to carve up Detroit for 234 yards and four touchdowns. His 51-yard deep shot to Christian Watson — with Lions’ Amik Robertson poorly beaten on the play in coverage — was the defining moment, a product of Love having all the time he needed for the route to develop.
Detroit’s pass-rush issues have become a trend. The Lions have recorded only four sacks over their past four games, a stark drop-off for a unit expected to anchor their defense. Hutchinson acknowledged the slump, saying the group is “just not flowing now.”
He also broke down what made it so difficult to close in on Love.
“Jordan does a good job of drifting in the pocket a little bit back and kind of just throwing it off his back foot, and he does that really accurately,” Hutchinson said. “But that gives him a lot of time being so far back, and I know me and Alim (McNeill) were there, but it’s just… it was tough. It was definitely — it is what it is.
“He drifts more than anybody — just getting a lot of depth. He likes to just see everything in front of him, and he’s got the arm talent for it, can just sit back there and get real deep. But yeah, continuing to find ways to improve is what we’re on.”