That wasn't how Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones envisioned his return to the lineup.
Thursday night against the Detroit Lions, the Packers' offense struggled to gain any momentum whatsoever in the first half, finishing the game's first 30 minutes with just 23 yards of total offense before being booed off of Lambeau Field trailing 27-3 at the break.
While Jordan Love led the Packers barnstorming back in the second half, unlike four days earlier against the New Orleans Saints, Green Bay's efforts came up short in a 34-20 defeat that seemed to potentially signal that there's a new top dog in the NFC North.
Afterwards, Jones addressed the entire team, and the offense in particular.
"I just told them that these teams in the league are good," Jones told reporters, via USATODAY's Ryan Wood. "And we're a good team too, but you can't come out and spot teams like that. We did it last week, and it worked out for us, but that's not always going to be the case."
Love answered some of his loudest critics by guiding the Packers to 18 unanswered points, in a stellar fourth quarter to beat the Saints in Week 3. However, even with Jones back in the lineup and second-year wide receiver Christian Watson making his 2023 debut, Green Bay was unable to come all the way back against the Lions.
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"I told the guys that I'm proud of them," Jones continued. "Because they showed their character, that we're not going to give up, and we're not going to quit, but we've got to start a lot faster. And, we've got to keep our defense off the field for as long as they're on the field. Because, when you do need a stop, they've been on the field for the whole game.
"But, it's going to take one play at a time, and it's just a mentality. I think now that we've had the past two games, they feel what urgency is when your back is against the wall, and if you can just play like that all the time, it's deadly."
