The Green Bay Packers open up the 2025 regular season with a date against the Detroit Lions, who have won the NFC North in each of the past two seasons. Green Bay’s expectations have been strapped to a rocket thanks to the addition of Micah Parsons.
But while many will tune into the Week 1 matchup to see Parsons in green or Aidan Hutchinson back on a football field, there will be many other storylines unfolding throughout the contest. After all, as spectacular as both pass rushers are, both may be limited as they deal with their respective injuries, which means some weaknesses on the back end of both defenses could be exploited.
Let’s take a look at some of the matchups that will fly under the radar with all the buzz swirling around star players for the Packers’ season opener.
Three key matchups that could determine the winner of Packers vs. Lions
Green Bay's DBs vs. Detroit's WRs
There’s no denying that the Packers’ secondary breathed a sigh of relief when Parsons arrived in Green Bay. He, alongside some combination of Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, will presumably take some pressure off the defensive backfield.
But if Parsons isn’t able to contribute on the majority of defensive snaps, his impact, and that of the pass rush, will be lessened.
The point still stands that Green Bay’s secondary is a huge question mark outside of Xavier McKinney. Detroit’s offensive weaponry is not only still among the most lethal in the NFL, but it may be a touch stronger if rookie third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa translates from a solid preseason.
Green Bay will likely play some conservative coverage over the top and bring some pressure from the linebackers when possible, but that means the Packers’ DBs will need to make stops in space. Easier said than done when Jahmyr Gibbs, Jameson Williams, and Amon-Ra St. Brown were each among the top 32 receivers in total yards after the catch a season ago.
Green Bay's Interior Defensive Line vs. Detroit's Interior Offensive Line
Detroit doesn’t have many weaknesses, but one glaring issue for the Lions is the interior offensive line. After sporting one of the league’s best offensive fronts in recent seasons, free agency and retirement shifted the pieces directly in front of quarterback Jared Goff.
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But it’s not solely interior pressure the Packers should be aiming for with this advantage; it’s slowing down the ground game. While it’s just one dimension of a multi-faceted attack from Detroit, clogging up the rushing lanes inside and disrupting David Montgomery’s ability to be at all effective is one small victory on the path to leaving Week 1 1-0.
Of course, without Kenny Clark in the middle, focus turns to Devonte Wyatt and Colby Wooden to step up. Even knowing that Detroit’s interior front isn’t what it used to be, it’d be a massive win, both in this game and moving forward, for those two and the rest of the Packers' interior defensive line rotation to put the brakes on Detroit’s inside rushing attack.
Green Bay's Interior Offensive Line vs. Detroit's Interior Defensive Line
While it’s the same battle, the reasons are quite different. Green Bay’s interior offensive line should be seen as upgraded heading into the season opener, though some questions do linger on Aaron Banks’ overall effectiveness and the subsequent move to center for Elgton Jenkins. Still, both have big bank accounts this fall for a reason.
But that doesn’t mean fans don’t want to see them, and right guard Sean Rhyan, step up against Detroit by taking the advantage in the trenches. The Lions aren’t deep inside, but first-rounder Tyleik Williams and veteran DJ Reader figure to be a solid duo as the primary options. Just as Green Bay believes itself to be stronger on its interior offensive line, Detroit feels the same about Williams and Reader.
Still, a full performance from Josh Jacobs, thanks to the reconfigured interior front, would no doubt help keep the Packers from falling to the Lions for a third straight time. In his first outing last season, he averaged 7.3 yards on the ground. In his second, just 3.7, but he scored three times. Somewhere in the middle is a recipe for offensive success for the Packers to open up the campaign.