Packers already have perfect bulletin board material from Lions

For the best part of three decades, the Green Bay Packers have been the team to beat in the NFC North while the Detroit Lions have tried to catch them.

It's a different story in 2024.

The Lions are no longer the loveable losers or even the surprise team making a run. They are bona fide Super Bowl contenders with huge expectations on their shoulders. Anything short of reaching the big game in February will be considered a disappointment. They should've got there last season.

The pressure has been ramped up, and the Packers now have perfect bulletin board material.

Packers can use Lions hype as added motivation in 2024

Twelve months ago, the Lions entered the season with hope. This year, it's hype.

Dan Campbell's team has made the cover of Sports Illustrated's NFL preview and is being tipped to win the Super Bowl.

Connor Orr and Greg Bishop wrote an excellent article on the Lions, and the hype is understandable. But they have given the Packers all the motivation they need. Here's an excerpt:

"All of it suggests—no, screams—that these Lions are ready for more. More expectations. More wins. More success. They're ready to grab the wheel from Campbell and drive this franchise straight to New Orleans in February, to the Lions' first Super Bowl."

It's a fantastic piece, and again, the belief in the Lions is justified. It's also perfect for Matt LaFleur, whose team closed the gap on Detroit in the second half of last season. LaFleur's Packers stunned the Lions on Thanksgiving with a 29-22 victory at Ford Field.

The Lions were playing with house money last season. No longer.

Sports Illustrated notes that Detroit is "speeding toward its first Super Bowl." The issue is it plays in arguably the most competitive division in football. Love and the Packers have the talent to make a run, and a rejuvenated Chicago Bears could take the Lions' title of "surprise team" in 2024.

Campbell's Lions threw away a golden opportunity—and a 24-7 halftime lead—in last January's NFC title game. Now, the pressure is on to take the next step.

Remember the New York Giants' famous boat photo before their playoff game against the Packers? Green Bay eliminated New York, and they took six years to return to the postseason.

LaFleur should get a copy of this SI cover and show his players every day. The Lions have probably raised another banner at Ford Field. But now, they must face the pressure of being the team to beat in the NFC North.

It plays right into the Packers' hands.

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