It’s September, and that can only mean one thing: football is back! We had college football kick off on Saturday, August 30, but now it’s time for the big boys to play. No more training camp, no more preseason games, and no more debating who should be WR5 and CB6; the real games start now. To kick off the 2025 season, the Detroit Lions have a fun challenge, going on the road to take on the Green Bay Packers. This game already had some hype coming into it, but with the big trade the Packers made, it amplified the matchup.
In case you haven’t heard, the Packers traded two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark to the Dallas Cowboys for EDGE Micah Parsons last week. This is an aggressive move by the Packers, something they don’t seem to do often. It also gives the impression that this team is forcing its Super Bowl window open. Quarterback Jordan Love has done fine as the starting quarterback, and running back Josh Jacobs has given the Packers a true run game, but now the pressure is more on the defense to keep up when things aren’t what they used to be. Gone is their top cornerback, Jaire Alexander, and now their top run defender, Clark. While they still have EDGE Rashan Gary, he hasn’t appeared to be the same player he was before he tore his ACL back in 2022.
Adding Parsons and signing him to a four-year $186 million deal is something else. Parsons will be a great help for this defense and the pass rush, but is it enough to turn the Packers into a title contender? What I question is the contract amount and how much Parsons can truly take this team into becoming a Super Bowl contender. Teams that build their franchises up like the Lions tend to have more success, and teams like the Packers that think making a big trade like this is enough to push them into the Super Bowl in February are risking it all for their shot to win.
The Packers are a good team, but were they one player away from winning the championship like the Los Angeles Rams were when they traded for Matthew Stafford? No, but let me go into why and how the Packers are a different team from just a year ago as we prepare for Week 1 on Sunday!
- 11-6 record (3rd in NFC North)
- 8th in points scored, 6th in points allowed
- Overall DVOA: 3rd (4th on offense, 7th on defense)
Last season for the Packers was an improvement from their 2023 campaign to a degree. Their record moved up to 11-6, but they fell to third place in the division due to the Lions and Minnesota Vikings having very strong seasons. The Packers made the playoffs as the seventh seed and couldn’t get past the eventual Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, losing 22-10.
The offense saw Love take a step back from his impressive 2023 season, missing two games due to injury and throwing only 3,389 yards with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He got some big help in the running game with Jacobs, who had the second-best season of his career, finishing with 1,329 yards and a career-high 15 rushing touchdowns. With those two playing well, the offense was able to make some strong impressions on their potential in what this offense could become.
The Packers have a bunch of wide receivers that were all middling, and nobody could take over, until Jayden Reed stepped up. Reed finished the year leading the team in catches (55) and yards (857), with his biggest competition being tight end Tucker Kraft, who had 50 catches for 707 yards and the team-high seven receiving touchdowns, one more than Reed.
The defense was able to pick up the slack from the offense if they were having a bad day. Gary led the team in sacks with 7.5 as he continued being the team’s best pass rusher. Safety Xavier McKinney had an impressive start to the season, with five straight games getting an interception, and he finished the season with eight as he forced teams to question if the deep ball was worth it against him. The Packers were also a team hard to run the ball against, as they finished tied for third in least YPC allowed with 4.0, and the seventh least rushing yards allowed.
Key additions: LG Aaron Banks, EDGE Micah Parsons, CB Nate Hobbs
Key losses: C Josh Myers, CB Eric Stokes, RB AJ Dillon, CB Jaire Alexander, DT Kenny Clark
Round 1: WR Matthew Golden
Round 2: OT Anthony Belton
Round 3: WR Savion Williams
Round 4: DL Barryn Sorrell
Round 5: DL Collin Oliver
Round 6: DL Warren Brinson
Round 7: CB Micah Robinson
Round 7: OL John Williams
The biggest change to this team is the obvious new bright and shiny toy in Parsons. Before the trade, the biggest additions to the team would have been left guard Aaron Banks and rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden. The Packers overall had a quiet offseason, where they lost more than they gained. Out are some key starters like center Josh Myers, cornerbacks Eric Stokes and Alexander, and even running back AJ Dillon as a backup is a loss for them.
I believe that their biggest loss is Clark. Clark is one of the top run-stopping defensive tackles in the NFL, and the Packers added an elite pass rusher in Parsons, who struggles with stopping the run. There is now a big hole in the interior of the defensive line, and the Packers will have to hope they can clog it soon and quickly before it’s too late. 2023 third-round pick (and undersized) Colby Wooden is the leading candidate to take over the starting nose-tackle job, because I don’t believe any of their rookie defensive tackles will be ready to take on that role right now.
The rookie wide receivers might be asked to step up early this season. With Reed dealing with a Jones fracture and playing through it, and Christian Watson starting the season on the PUP list, the Packers might need them to contribute early and often. Golden could be looked at as the top option on the team if Reed is limited in any capacity due to the injury.
The Packers have been a consistent playoff team, making it in five out of the last six seasons, but the Parsons trade gives the impression that this team wants to win and win now. The offense has some questions along the offensive line with Myers gone and Elgton Jenkins moving over to center, and with Banks dealing with a back issue, his status for this week is questionable. Health will be a big factor for the offense’s success, as Love was dealing with an injury last year; he already had thumb surgery back in August. His status for Week 1 is looking good, but starting off banged up isn’t what this team likes to see.
The pass rush with Parsons will be huge; he and Gary are going to be a good duo for the Packers, as the rest of the NFC North now has to deal with what the other teams in the NFC East had to deal with the past four seasons. If Parsons can impact the defense with more than his pass rush, and the secondary can survive without Alexander, this defense could be a top-half unit again.
The thing is, there is even more pressure on this team to win this season than there has been before. The Packers don’t have a first-round pick for the next two seasons, so free agency will be a big factor for them in the future offseasons. With just about $200 million tied up with Love and Parsons, the team won’t have much wiggle room and is banking that those two can help lead the charge for the postseason. Their schedule doesn’t seem too difficult either, with the Baltimore Ravens, Eagles, Denver Broncos, Washington Commanders, and Cincinnati Bengals being their toughest non-division opponents. This team should appear back in the playoffs, but competing for the NFC North title will be difficult.
Key players ruled out: WR Christian Watson (PUP)
Key players to monitor: S Xavier McKinney (calf), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), WR Jayden Reed (foot), LG Aaron Banks (back), QB Jordan Love (thumb), EDGE Micah Parsons (back)
As I mentioned earlier, the health of this offense will be huge for their success this season. Starting out down a starting wide receiver for the first four games isn’t good. Reed dealing with a foot fracture is going to be difficult, and it might end up limiting his season.
The defense has a few players banged up, but nothing is deemed too serious, as everyone is recovering from injuries suffered in the preseason, and everyone mentioned to monitor should play Sunday afternoon. Parsons isn’t just dealing with a back injury, but with being in Green Bay for less than two weeks, his time to pick up the playbook might not be long enough. He’s expected to play, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he is on the field for pass-rushing situations only as he adjusts to the new defensive scheme.
Biggest strength: Pass rush
While it might be limited, Parsons on the field is something you can’t ignore. When he’s out there with Gary, Lions offensive tackles Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker will have their hands full. Parsons had another solid season for the Cowboys, getting 43 tackles, 12 sacks, 12 pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and a pass deflection.
If the Packers are going to win this game, they will have to rely on the pass rush getting home and putting pressure on Lions quarterback Jared Goff. The Lions like to rely on the running game, but if they are down late in the game, they will have to lean on the passing game to put up points. If the Packers’ pass rush gets home frequently, it might be too much for the Lions to overcome.
Biggest weakness: Defensive tackle
While the Packers had a strong run defense last year, losing their biggest piece to that defense in Clark will be tough to overcome. Devonte Wyatt will be leaned on as the top defensive tackle on the roster, and his run grade from PFF isn’t impressive at 51.9. The projected starter next to him, Colby Wooden, has a 46.5 run defense grade, and Karl Brooks, a depth piece, had a 37 grade. That isn’t too promising for the defensive tackles.
While the run game isn’t all about your defensive tackles, if the Lions can just run it up the gut, away from Gary and Parsons, there doesn’t seem to be a strong candidate that can fill the gaps and slow them down before they get to the second level. The linebackers in Quay Walker, Isaiah McDuffie, and Edgerrin Cooper will need to assist the defensive tackles in attempting to down the dynamic duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
Key matchup: Lions offensive line vs. Packers defensive line
It’s all about the trenches this week. If Parsons is limited Sunday afternoon, that gives the Lions an even bigger advantage, as now the Packers would be without their best run defender and pass rusher. If Parsons plays fully, the Lions will have their hands full on both sides of the line. Goff will need to get the ball out quickly and make smart decisions as his time in the pocket will be shorter than normal.
Goff has done well against pressures and blitzes, but it’s better not to worry about that if possible. The offensive line for the Lions also needs to help generate holes for their running backs, and if Gibbs and Montgomery can have a strong start to the season, this Lions offense will remain the top offense in the NFL.
If the Packers overwhelm the younger offensive line of the Lions, that is where you can see the Packers win this game. If there are double teams on Gary or Parsons, interior offensive linemen Christian Mahogany, Graham Glasgow, or Tate Ratledge might be left alone to fend for themselves. Two inexperienced guards might struggle against certain stunts the Packers might bring, where an edge rusher moves to the inside. Overall, this battle determines who will start the season with bragging rights and an early lead for the divisional crown.
Vegas line for Sunday: Packers favored by 2.5
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