GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -- Lambeau Field just isn't very scary any more for the Green Bay Packers' opponents. That's because the Packers aren't very scary, either.

Green Bay is on a home losing streak for the first time since 1991. Earlier this month, Seattle and Chicago beat the Packers at Lambeau in a six-day span, sending the team into a tailspin which continued with a loss at Dallas last week.

The Packers and Detroit meet Sunday for the second time this season. The Lions haven't won at Lambeau since 1991, but the venerable stadium -- with its remote location, inhospitable weather and crazy fans -- is looking less intimidating every day.

"I don't think teams are afraid to come in here any more, and that's sad," Packers receiver Antonio Freeman said. "We can fix that, but we have to win on Sunday, or there's going to be a lot of damage to our reputation."

The damage already has begun. With four losses in its last five games, Green Bay (4-5) is below .500 in the second half of a season for the first time since 1992. Before this season, Brett Favre had lost at home just six times as a starter in his entire career.

Favre is injured and inconsistent, Freeman is having trouble getting the ball, LeRoy Butler isn't speaking to the media and coach Ray Rhodes is on the hot seat after just nine games.

"Teams need to be afraid to come to Lambeau Field, and so far this season we haven't done that," Rhodes said.

The mystique that former coach Mike Holmgren tried so hard to build at Lambeau began to erode last season when the Minnesota Vikings pounded the Packers 37-24 in a Monday night game to snap a 29-game home winning streak. This year, Green Bay is 3-2 at home and has yet to win convincingly, with the three victories coming on last-second drives led by Favre.

The Packers offense is the primary culprit for their recent slide. Lambeau Leaps have become as scarce as summer breezes in Green Bay, as the Packers have scored just one offensive touchdown in six of their nine games.

"It is surprising, but in the same regard, you also know they're going to bust out," Lions safety Mark Carrier said. "You just know it. ... Sooner or later, they're going to put it all together, and they're just going to roll."

Detroit held the Packers to one TD in the Lions' 23-15 win over Green Bay on Sept. 19, and since then, Detroit (6-3) has risen to the top of the NFC Central while Green Bay has sunk to fourth.

Offensive coordinator Sherman Lewis has been cagey about changes. But the Packers are considering using a no-huddle offense at several points during Sunday's game, which they hope will allow Favre to relax and play on instinct.

Coach Bobby Ross said the Lions had improved immensely on defense since their first meeting with the Packers. Or he thought so until his unit's miserable performance in a 23-19 loss at Arizona last week, snapping the Lions' four-game winning streak.

"We didn't tackle well, we had a couple of blown assignments ... we just did not play well," Carrier said. "When we finally put it together, it was too late, and that's why we lost."

For the Lions, Sunday's game is the first of two crucial divisional matchups in a five-day span. Detroit is host to Chicago on Thanksgiving Day, and a pair of wins could vault the Lions into the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

Neither team has had much success running the ball this season, with both teams' rushing offenses tied for 24th. They combined for 82 yards rushing last week in their losses.

Sunday's game likely will be won in the air, and because backup quarterbacks have given the Packers fits this season, the Lions should be feeling even better about their chances.

Ross said he doesn't expect starter Charlie Batch to play because of a bruised thumb on his throwing hand. If Batch can't go, backup Gus Frerotte, who threw for 375 yards in the loss to the Cardinals, will get his second straight start.

"I would say there's a slim chance, but right now I would say no," Ross said Wednesday of Batch's chances to play. "But if all of a sudden it starts to get better, we'll just have to wait and see."

The Packers lost to the Cowboys last week with backup Jason Garrett in charge, and third-stringer Jim Miller helped the Bears beat the Pack the week before.

DETROIT Season schedule and results

GREEN BAY Season schedule and results

September 12 @Seattle W 28-20 September 19 Green Bay W 23-15 September 26 @Kansas City L 21-31 October 10 San Diego L 10-20 October 17 Minnesota W 25-23 October 24 @Carolina W 24-9 October 31 Tampa Bay W 20-3 November 7 St. Louis W 31-27 November 14 @Arizona L 19-23 November 21 @Green Bay 1:00pm ET November 25 Chicago 12:40pm ET December 5 Washington 1:00pm ET December 12 @Tampa Bay 1:00pm ET December 19 @Chicago 1:00pm ET December 25 Denver 4:15pm ET January 2 @Minnesota 1:00pm ET

September 12 Oakland W 28-24 September 19 @Detroit L 15-23 September 26 Minnesota W 23-20 October 10 Tampa Bay W 26-23 October 17 @Denver L 10-31 October 24 @San Diego W 31-3 November 1 Seattle L 7-27 November 7 Chicago L 13-14 November 14 @Dallas L 13-27 November 21 Detroit 1:00pm ET November 29 @San Francisco 9:00pm ET December 5 @Chicago 1:00pm ET December 12 Carolina 1:00pm ET December 20 @Minnesota 9:00pm ET December 26 @Tampa Bay 4:15pm ET January 2 Arizona 1:00pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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