It has been business as usual on an unusual week for the Detroit Lions.
The focus was on preparing to play the Packers Sunday at Ford Field when the Lions got back to work Wednesday, not on the firing of defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant Monday and the trade of tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday.
Head coach Dan Campbell didn't expect anything different based on his NFL career as a player, assistant coach and head coach.
Campbell was forthright in discussing the moves with his players.
"This is the reality of the situation," he said. "You don't sugar coat it. You say it for what it is. And then these are the things we have to do moving forward.
"In terms of playing the game and getting better, it's still about improving and all the little details -- fundamentals, turnovers, takeaways, penalties. And that all happens in practice.
"It's all about staying focused on those things."
The Lions and Packers both have been struggling. The Packers have a 3-5 won-loss record and a four-game losing streak. The Lions are 1-6 with a five-game losing streak.
Hockenson was one of the NFL's most productive eight ends. He ranked fifth among tight ends win 395 receiving yards and No. 1 with an average of 15.2 yards per reception.
"What I have to judge is, where does his production go now?" Campbell said. "There's more food on the table now for the other skilled players on offense."
Lions keys:
1. Defense - cover: The secondary has undergone major changes in the last month, but any impact they have had on players and staff have to be set aside. The focus has to be on the game and winning matchups.
Injuries, inexperience and the loss of star wide receiver Davante Adams in the offseason have weakened the Packers' receiver position.
Rodgers is still making the big plays, but not as often with his current cast of receivers.
2. Offense - sustain: The Lions have not scored a touchdown in 10 of the last 12 quarters. They were off to a good start, with three TDs and 27 points in the first half last week against Miami.
The offense fizzled after that, failing to score a point in the second half. A 27-17 lead wilted away to a 31-27 loss. The Lions cannot afford lapses, given the makeup of the defense.
As an old rock star once said, keep on keeping on.
3. Home field - take advantage: The schedule was set up for the Lions to have a good start with five of the first eight games at home. The Lions went 1-3 in the first four.
It's time to take advantage, especially against an NFC North opponent
Packers view: It felt like the good old days for Rodgers when he was warming up for last week's game against the Buffalo Bills.
The vibes were good on the practice field all week and in the locker room before the game.
Unfortunately for the Packers, none of that carried over to the game. The Bills handed the Packers their fourth straight loss, dropping their won-loss record to 3-5.
"Nobody feels sorry for us," Rodgers said in his postgame interview. "We have to find a way to win a game. I feel like if we can get one, the whole momentum changes."
Rodgers felt signs of the momentum changing before the game, but the Packers kept skidding their wheels in the same rut.
"I thought we had a great week of practice," he said. "The energy in the pregame, in the locker room ... it felt like Packers again."
My pick: The Packers are favored by 3.5.
Packers 31, Lions 23.
