The Packers’ Za’Darius Smith makes a move against the Detroit Lions on Sunday in Green Bay, Wis. (AP photo)

As long as the Green Bay Packers keep scoring 40-plus points every game, their defense can afford the occasional lapses that have marked their first two performances.

But the reality is that Green Bay’s defense must improve because its offense can’t maintain this electrifying pace all season.

“We can’t have any up-and-down moments, any roller coaster moments where we start off good and then we have our dips and then come back up,” outside linebacker Preston Smith said. “We’ve got to kind of reach our peak, stay there and keep on rising.”

It’s easy to pinpoint those dips.

Green Bay gave up touchdowns on the last three possessions of a win at Minnesota and the first two drives of a win over Detroit.

They must play better to win Sunday night at New Orleans (1-1), whether or not the Saints have Michael Thomas available. The two-time All-Pro receiver missed the Saints’ 34-24 loss at Las Vegas with an ankle injury and didn’t practice Thursday.

The track record doesn’t suggest the Saints’ offense will continue to struggle.

“I think just schematically you just look back at over the course of these years, you know, they’re a team that everybody in the league watches because their staff does such a great job of getting just explosive plays and are able to generate points year in and year out,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said.

The Packers have allowed 344.5 yards per game and are 10th out of 32 NFL teams in total defense because of their ball-hawking offense. Green Bay has given up 6.4 yards per play to rank 27th.

This defense still has plenty of reason for optimism.

New first-team nickel back Chandon Sullivan showed his promise by scoring on a 7-yard interception return against Detroit. Rashan Gary has bounced back from a disappointing rookie season and emerged as a pass-rushing force to complement Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith. Za’Darius Smith has a sack in each of the Packers’ first two games.