The Detroit Lions have had the Green Bay Packers’ number recently. They swept Green Bay in 2022 and 2024, and the teams split in 2023. The Week 14 matchup in Detroit last season was marred by questionable officiating, during which the Lions also committed several personal fouls. Tensions were high even before kickoff, when Matt LaFleur had a verbal confrontation with a fan.
This rivalry has picked up steam in recent years. From Jordan Love’s Thanksgiving masterclass in the Motor City in 2023 to Amon-Ra St. Brown showing up at Lambeau in a “Green Bay Sucks” hoodie, the tension between these teams has only grown. Now, they’re ready to add another chapter to the story.
In Week 1, the Packers will open their season at Lambeau Field for the first time in seven years — and the first time under Matt LaFleur. They host the Lions on Sunday at 3:25 p.m. CT in a matchup that could set the tone for the season for each team.
Both squads are playoff-caliber and should be better than the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings, who are featuring a rookie head coach and a first-year starting quarterback, respectively. Still, the Packers have an edge over the Lions that could make a difference in Week 1 and throughout the season.
Detroit has lost both its offensive and defensive coordinators this offseason. The Chicago Bears hired Ben Johnson as their head coach, while Aaron Glenn took the same job with the New York Jets.
Without Johnson, Dan Campbell’s track record hasn’t been particularly strong. Campbell’s lone season in Detroit without Johnson as offensive coordinator was a disaster. The Lions went 3-13-1, with their offense ranking 22nd in EPA per play, 25th in points scored, 25th in offensive grade, 25th in passing grade, 22nd in receiving grade, 19th in pass blocking, 24th in rushing, and 20th in run blocking.
That same year, Jared Goff posted career lows in big-time throw rate and average depth of target. He also endured the second-highest percentage of pressures turned into sacks, resulting in a career-high 35 sacks.
Granted, that Lions team was very different from the current version, which is loaded with playmakers. Still, one of a head coach’s main jobs is to maximize talent, and Campbell failed to do so.
For example, the Washington Commanders entered last season with a projected 6.5 win total, featuring a questionable supporting cast around Jayden Daniels, aside from Terry McLaurin. Still, they came just one game short of a Super Bowl appearance, highlighting Dan Quinn’s coaching ability.
We can also look at the 2023 Packers, who had one of the youngest rosters in NFL history and a first-year starting quarterback. Yet they defeated the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and made the playoffs. That year, they became the first-ever No. 7 seed to win a playoff game, a dominant 48-32 victory at Jerry’s World. It’s a loss the Dallas Cowboys are still trying to recover from, and it might take some more time, especially after trading Micah Parsons to Green Bay.
John Morton will serve as Detroit’s offensive coordinator in 2025. He brings over two decades of coaching experience in both college and the NFL, but has held just two OC positions — with the USC Trojans in 2009 and the New York Jets in 2017. That year in New York, the Jets ranked 28th in total yards and were a bottom-10 team in passing yards, total touchdowns, points scored, and offensive grade.
Green Bay’s defense has an opportunity to make Jared Goff’s life miserable. His track record without Ben Johnson or Sean McVay calling plays is not good. Detroit’s interior offensive line also features a new starting center, rookie Tate Ratledge, alongside Christian Mahogany, a sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft.
The Packers have enough versatility at the first and second levels to attack the A and B gaps from multiple angles. Whether through disguised blitzes, stunts, or double A-gap pressure looks, their options are virtually limitless, and it could prove too much for the interior line to handle.
Detroit’s offense has enough talent to overcome the absence of Ben Johnson and a shaky interior line. Still, it’s very possible they won’t come out firing on all cylinders. If Campbell’s track record holds true, Jeff Hafley’s group should have a favorable matchup on Sunday.
