The Green Bay Packers not only beat the Detroit Lions but also made a statement by crushing their highly ranked divisional rival. It’s exactly the type of start Packers fans hoped for after their divisional woes in 2024.
Green Bay came out firing, scored first, and (mostly) kept their foot on the gas the entire game.
For an offense that often had trouble starting quickly (and with the quarterback coming off a recent surgery), the opening drive set the tone for the rest of the game. Can Green Bay’s opening drive set an offensive foundation for the season?
Scoring first sets the tone of a game, which is one reason Matt LaFleur prefers to receive the opening ball rather than defer to the second half. It’s an approach many savvy viewers (me) enjoy, but it hasn’t always worked well in the past, thanks to Green Bay’s Regigigas-level slow starts. That was especially true in Week 1 games, with a handful of LaFleur’s worst losses coming in the season’s opening game.
The Packers lost the opening coin toss and received the ball first, but it’s fair to wonder if LaFleur would have chosen to receive anyway. Thankfully, Jordan Love and the offense did exactly what they needed to, opening the game with a 5:34-minute, 12-play touchdown drive.
The opening kickoff return wasn’t ideal, with a holding penalty wiping out an impressive run from rookie Savion Williams. Williams as the returner was a nice surprise, but it wouldn’t be a Packers game without an unfortunate special teams penalty.
Starting at their own 17-yard line, Love completed five of his seven passes, culminating in a beautiful 15-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft (shortly after someone ripped Kraft’s helmet off and tossed it aside, no less).
The rushing attack couldn’t get going on the opening drive, with Josh Jacobs unable to generate much. Jacobs eventually found some momentum later in the game after wearing down Detroit’s stout run defense, but his lack of success on the opening drive led to a pass-happy attack that thrived for most of the game.
Love and his receiving corps put in work. Love completed passes to Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, John FitzPatrick, Matthew Golden, Williams, and Kraft. It set a pattern for the rest of the afternoon, where Love continued to spread the ball around (completing passes to 10 targets) and take the plays he could.
It was a mix of short, intermediate, and explosive passes, showcasing Love’s ability to do damage anywhere on the field. Particularly impressive was the intermediate work (10 to 19 aerial yards). Next Gen Stats clocked Love completing six of eight intermediate passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns on the day.
That’s an area where Love struggled last season. To see him not only do well there but do his best work is promising, and it started with the opening drive.
The drive ended with Brandon McManus scoring the extra point, his first kick on a flawless day. McManus got some light work in early and was automatic when called upon for later field goals.
What did we learn from the opening drive?
First, the simple fact that when receivers catch the balls thrown their way and the offensive line isn’t generating pre-snap penalties, it makes life much easier. On the one hand, duh. But those were two massive issues for Green Bay last season and in the preseason opener. The receivers generally made the plays they needed to (including both rookies), and the offensive line held up exceptionally well.
Second, while some of LaFleur’s first-down run calls weren’t inspiring, he pivoted toward what was actually working and focused on the passing game. LaFleur can occasionally be stubborn, but on Sunday, he generally stuck to what was working for him. The worst offensive drive occurred in the second half, when three consecutive running plays resulted in a three-and-out. After that, he went back to the more effective, pass-heavy route, with Green Bay being one of the more pass-heavy teams in Week 1.
After the initial 7-0 deficit, Detroit never really mounted a comeback. Jeff Hafley’s defense neutralized Detroit’s fantastic rushing attack and limited big plays, forcing a constantly-harassed Jared Goff to win through the air. The opening drive set the tone by forcing the Lions’ attack to become more one-dimensional, with the offensive line establishing itself by bullying Detroit’s defense early.
The opening touchdown showed why LaFleur chooses to receive. Starting the game with some warm urine gives your team early control and forces how the opposing offense responds, allowing Jeff Hafley to react accordingly. It’s a strategy I like, but it hasn’t always worked.
If LaFleur can have this version of the offense opening up every game — a balanced attack playing mistake-free football, with the offensive line establishing itself against the defense early — we’ll see the best version of that strategy.
The offense’s opening drive established the tempo against Detroit. Can it do the same for the rest of the season?
