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NFL·PREVIEW·October 23, 2026 02:04 PM ET

Dan Campbell hands DeAndre Carter punt return role, warns Lions of surging Packers

Green Bay forced seven takeaways over the last two weeks.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated 1h2 min read
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What happened: Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell announced Friday that DeAndre Carter, signed earlier in the week, will immediately handle punt return duties in Sunday's Week 7 game against the Green Bay Packers. Campbell also fielded questions regarding Sam LaPorta's recent contract comments and emphasized that Detroit must execute more cleanly than it did in its 45-21 Week 5 win over the Arizona Cardinals, which opened with three straight offensive three-and-outs. Looking at Sunday's opponent, Campbell highlighted quarterback Jordan Love's efficiency behind a reshuffled offensive line and praised a Packers defense that held the Dallas Cowboys to a season-low 13 points last week.

Why it matters: Detroit enters Week 7 at 3-2 and holds the NFC's No. 7 seed, raising the stakes against a divisional rival thriving despite severe defensive attrition. Green Bay remains without Micah Parsons (PUP-R, knee) and linebacker Zaire Franklin (out), while defensive starters Edgerrin Cooper and Javon Hargrave were both placed on injured reserve this month with torn Achilles tendons. Inserting Carter gives the Lions an aggressive, downhill returner capable of flipping field position against a shorthanded Packers unit that continues to disguise coverages and generate pressure.

By the numbers: From Weeks 4 through 6, Green Bay's passing attack ranked sixth in dropback EPA (0.248), seventh in yards per attempt (8.2), ninth in passer rating (101.8), and 14th in dropback success rate (47.1%), building on Jordan Love's 2025 totals of 3,381 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and six interceptions in 15 games. On defense, Green Bay placed 2025 contributors Edgerrin Cooper (118 tackles and 0.5 sacks in 16 games in 2025) on injured reserve on Oct. 6 and Javon Hargrave (52 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 16 games with the Vikings in 2025) on injured reserve on Oct. 17. Detroit sits at 3-2 following its Week 5 victory over an Arizona Cardinals squad now at 2-4, while Dallas stands at 2-4 after scoring 13 points against the Packers.

What to watch: Detroit and Green Bay meet Sunday in Week 7, where Carter will make his Lions special-teams debut and Detroit's offense will test the Packers' depleted front seven.

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