Whisper it quietly… the Packers may have a legitimate defense!
Week 1 will not decide a season, nor determine the Super Bowl.
But the Packers made a statement of intent by comfortably taking down the Lions 27-13 at Lambeau Field. Do not forget, Detroit won the NFC North for the past two years, and were last season’s top NFC seed.
The Lions have had the Packers’ number recently, so this was welcome payback as Detroit adjust to new offensive and defensive co-ordinators.
Fast start
Quarterback Jordan Love was in rhythm straight away. He led a sharp opening drive that finished with a laser to tight end Tucker Kraft.
The Packers defense then set the tone. On Detroit’s first series, a quick three-and-out was cheered like a touchdown. New signing Micah Parsons made his Lambeau debut to a huge ovation from the excitable home crowd.
Green Bay followed with a field goal, though the drive stalled near midfield.
The Lions responded with an FG of their own, helped by an extremely soft unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on safety Xavier McKinney.
Love then produced his best sequence of the day. He hit Romeo Doubs with a 50-yard strike before dropping a beautiful touch pass to Jayden Reed for a second touchdown.
Jared Goff tried to answer with a long march, but pressure from Parsons forced an early release and safety Evan Williams picked it off.
Defence holds firm
Detroit opened the second half with another field goal, but Green Bay’s defense again held them out of the end zone.
The Packers’ offence slowed after the break, with Love briefly out of rhythm. He threw one ball that should have been intercepted and another that was picked off by Brian Branch. Luckily, that was wiped out by a fairly soft defensive holding penalty.
The Packers defense responded once more, pinning Detroit at its own 1-yard line and forcing a punt from deep in their end zone.
That short field allowed the Packers to finally turn to running back Josh Jacobs, who had been quiet to that point. He powered in from three yards to extend the lead.
Kicker Brandon McManus added another field goal after a fourth-down stop. Then Lions rookie Isaac TeSlaa produced a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch in the final minute to narrow the scoreline. It flattered Detroit after a rough afternoon.
What went right?
Green Bay’s defense looked every bit the part. They recorded nine tackles for loss, four sacks and an interception against a Lions offense that was among the league’s best in 2024.
Rashan Gary stood out with 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits, while Parsons (one sack, three pressures) showed why his arrival was so anticipated.
Former first-round picks Lukas Van Ness, Devonte Wyatt and Quay Walker all had strong performances, giving hope that this is the start of something sustainable.
Detroit’s dynamic backfield of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs was held to a combined 44 rushing yards on 20 attempts.
Love finished 16 of 22 for 188 yards, two touchdowns and a passer rating of 137.8. Without a sack, he spread the ball to 10 different receivers, enjoying a comfortable day behind his O-line.
Jacobs carried 19 times for 66 yards and a touchdown, extending his scoring streak to nine consecutive games: a franchise record.
Having signed a well-earned extension, Irish punter Daniel Whelan averaged 54.7 yards on three punts, consistently flipping the field.
Areas to fix
Special teams discipline remains a concern, with two penalties on returns that could have proved costly.
Star right tackle Zach Tom left in the second half with an injury – I hope it is not serious.
Love was efficient but still guilty of two risky throws, one of which was only negated by a holding penalty.
Looking ahead
One swallow does not make a summer, but this was an encouraging opening performance from the Green Bay Packers.
We wait to see whether the 2025 Detroit Lions are the same force as the past two seasons. Yet for Green Bay, some demons may have been exorcised.
Another test arrives quickly, with a tough Thursday night game against the Washington Commanders.
