The Green Bay Packers looked invincible last year, dropping only three games on their way to the Super Bowl. But just five weeks into the season, the champions have already lost twice. The Packers played sloppily in their 26-15 loss to the Detroit Lions at the Pontiac Silver dome. Green Bay traditionally finds it rough going in Detroit, but they were still firm favourites coming into the game - especially as the Lions had lost the previous week to the New Orleans Saints. The Lions capitalised on an off-day from Brett Favre, Green Bay's quarterback and the league's Most Valuable Player the last two years. Favre tossed some great passes, but he also threw three interceptions, virtually handing victory to a grateful Lions team. The Packers seized the lead with two early field goals but in the second quarter, Favre committed the first of his blunders. Tripping over the feet of one of his own players after the snap, Favre sank to his knees but attempted a pass anyway. Reggie Brown, a Detroit linebacker, batted the ball into the air, caught it and rumbled 45 yards for the touchdown.
The Lions struck again on their next possession. Barry Sanders exploded for 46 yards as he somehow scrambled through a sea of green Packers jerseys. Not the speedster he once was, Sanders was caught from behind. But on the next play, Scott Mitchell threw a four-yard touchdown to the rookie tight-end Peter Chryplewicz.
Ryan Longwell kicked his third field goal, a 50-yarder, to cut the Lions' lead to 14-9 and the Packers threatened to put more points on the board in a late drive before the half, but Favre threw the ball straight at Robert Porcher with 30 seconds left. Five plays later, Jason Hanson kicked a 53-yard field goal and the Lions went into the locker room with a 17-9 lead. The Packers made a quick start after the half. Bill Schroeder caught Favre's seven-yard pass, deflected off Terry Micken's pads, making it 17-15. But more turnovers, including Dorsey Leven's fumble after a promising run, coupled with solid defensive play from Detroit, prevented Green Bay from scoring any more points. Detroit's remaining points came from field goals.
