Patriots Head to Munich Looking for Answers as the 6-2 Lions Wait on Sunday Morning

The New England Patriots are crossing the Atlantic looking for answers, and they will have to find them against one of the best teams in the NFC.

The Patriots (5-4) take on the Detroit Lions (6-2) at 9:30 a.m. Eastern on Sunday in Munich, Germany, the opening game of a FOX tripleheader. New England was scheduled to fly out Wednesday night and hold two practices in Germany on Thursday and Friday. The Patriots have their bye week after this game and return against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12.

New England is trying to shake off a 45-27 home loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Gillette Stadium. Drake Maye completed 21 of 38 passes for 299 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions, according to the team's own review of the game. Patriots.com noted it was Maye's sixth straight game with at least three touchdown passes, so the production is there. The turnovers were the problem.

The defense had an even longer afternoon. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez was in coverage on 10 catches for 187 yards, and he took responsibility afterward: "They just got the best of me today." Captain Kevin Byard III called the Detroit game a measuring-stick game for this team.

The loss also cost New England bodies. Cornerback Carlton Davis III, running back Rhamondre Stevenson and offensive lineman Ben Brown all suffered knee injuries, and running back TreVeyon Henderson missed the game with an illness. Receiver Romeo Doubs and offensive linemen Alijah Vera-Tucker and Mike Onwenu are on injured reserve.

The biggest name on the Patriots' injury list is the receiver they traded for in the offseason. A.J. Brown, acquired from Philadelphia, hurt his right ankle early in the third quarter of his New England debut, a 13-10 loss at Seattle in Week 1, and left with three catches for 26 yards, The Associated Press reported. Newsweek reported that he missed the next five games, then sat out Week 9 with lingering ankle trouble and a flare-up of a knee injury.

Head coach Mike Vrabel said Brown will make the trip. "I'm including him in the group that would go," Vrabel said, though Newsweek noted that traveling does not guarantee he will play. If Brown cannot go, Maye will lean on DeMario Douglas, with Mack Hollins back in the lineup after returning from injured reserve in Week 9.

The Lions are coming off a Week 9 win, but their first practice report of the week was a long one. Quarterback Jared Goff (chest), receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (rib), defensive back Brian Branch (hip) and safety Kerby Joseph (knee) were all limited on Wednesday, while center Cade Mays (ankle), cornerback D.J. Reed (hip) and running back Sione Vaki (ankle) did not practice. Detroit's offense also looks different this year: Penei Sewell moved to left tackle and Drew Petzing, who grew up in Wellesley, Mass., replaced John Morton as offensive coordinator, Fox Sports noted when the game was announced.

Detroit has played only two international games, beating Atlanta in London in 2014 and losing to Kansas City there in 2015, according to Fox Sports. New England is 3-2 overseas, but its last two trips ended in losses: a 10-6 defeat to Indianapolis in Frankfurt in 2023, Bill Belichick's final season, and a loss to Jacksonville in London in 2024. Munich has hosted two regular-season games, with Tampa Bay beating Seattle in 2022 and Carolina beating the New York Giants in overtime in 2024. Davis, who started 13 games for the Lions in 2024 before coming to New England, was part of that 2022 Tampa Bay team.

This is the kind of game that tells you who a team really is. The Patriots have a young quarterback putting up big numbers and a coach who preaches toughness, but they just gave up 45 points at home and are hurting at receiver, running back, cornerback and up front. A 9:30 a.m. kickoff an ocean away is not the easiest place to regroup.

The flip side is the calendar. A win in Munich sends New England into its bye at 6-4 with a statement victory over a 6-2 contender. A loss means two straight defeats and two weeks of hard questions. Watch the injury reports from both teams on Thursday and Friday, and watch whether Maye can protect the football. That will decide Sunday morning.