Just days before the Commanders were set to face the Packers at Lambeau Field, JP Finlay from NBC 4 Sports shared a video. “Go, Pack, Go!” echoed through the practice field. But when the actual game aired on Amazon Prime Video, fans noticed something strange. The loud electric crowd noise they expected? Barely there. And it’s not new.

Meanwhile, longtime viewers have been grumbling for years about how Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts strangely muffle the stadium sound. However, the chatter got louder in Week 2. On The Pat McAfee Show, Pat McAfee himself, along with former Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk, called it out. Hawk said, “Amazon, for some reason, the crowd mics aren’t super loud.” He went on, “We don’t get to fully feel what Lambeau felt like last night, but it still looked awesome, at least.”

And McAfee also agreed that this makes for a pretty weak broadcast. “First game of the year for Amazon, so I think they’re trying to figure it out. But I think this has been a thing with them a lot,” McAfee explained. He added, “I think it has been a lot of stadium sounds much quieter on Amazon than anyone else. And I hope they understand that loud crowd is good for a game and sport, and television.” It’s hard to argue with that, especially when you’re used to the roar of Lambeau Field.

However, Hawk also pointed out another major issue. “It’s not just about creating energy,” he said. “It helps viewers understand what a quarterback is hearing.” And he wasn’t alone. From Sports Illustrated’s Jimmy Traina to Fox Sports’ Jake Jolivette, social media lit up with frustration over Amazon’s strange choice.

Finally, McAfee didn’t hold back, mocking the suits behind the scenes. “It seemed like they had it muffled. But some super-genius … has it figured out, said, ‘Well, we had a focus group say that they wanted to hear Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit,’” McAfee joked. “Someone probably has a stance on that, because it does feel like an Amazon thing.” But what happened on the field?

The Packers exposed the Commanders’ defense on Lambeau Field

The Commanders’ defense looked shaky in Week 2. After a solid showing in Week 1, things quickly unraveled against the Packers. The unit gave up two touchdowns in the first half and spent most of the game trying to catch up. Commanders head coach Dan Quinn admitted the defense wasn’t quite ready to start the season.

“Yeah, I think when you get your speed going, your rush going, you can just move somebody off the spot, like I said, I’ll take a look at it, but it wasn’t ideal to be behind at the end, especially when those passes go up,” Quinn said. He also explained that the Packers controlled the game by executing long, sustained drives early on, which kept the Commanders’ defense on the field and limited their opportunities to make impactful plays. As a result, Washington fell into a rhythm of three-and-outs and short drives, struggling to keep up with the momentum.

His tone showed frustration but also a clear plan to improve. What’s more, the Commanders’ Week 1 defense looked solid, giving up just six points against the Giants. But when facing a real threat like the Packers, everything fell apart. Green Bay’s offense clicked right away, building momentum from its Week 1 win over the Lions. The Cheeseheads didn’t let up, and the Commanders’ defense couldn’t keep up.

Finally, this short-week clash might be the toughest test for Washington all season. However, it also sent a clear message: the defense must step up. If they want to stay in the contender mix, they have no choice but to fix these holes, and fast.