Why The Green Bay Packers Look Like The Team To Beat in The NFC North

Rashan Gary knew this wasn’t any other game.

As the Green Bay Packers defensive end was driving to Lambeau Field Sunday — 4 ½ hours before kickoff, mind you — he already felt the excitement.

“It was crazy on the drive in,” Gary said. “Everybody looked ready, everybody was excited. And then I’m pulling up and everybody was yelling at the car, things like that. I’m like, football’s back.”

And so might be the Green Bay Packers.

Green Bay had one of its most impressive wins this decade, defeating visiting Detroit, 27-13.

The Lions had dominated the NFC North in recent years, winning two straight divisional titles and going 3-0 in their last three trips to Lambeau Field. But the Packers dominated a team that’s become one of their biggest rivals in recent years.

“I don’t know whatever generations of Packer fans come before me, who they despise the most,” tight end Tucker Kraft said. “You can tell when you get these two teams on the field, there’s fire under our (tails) and we’re ready to play some ball.”

The Lions, who went 15-2 in 2024, had won six of the last seven games against Green Bay. And after Detroit defeated Green Bay, 34-31, in Week 14 last season, many Packers talked about wanting to see the Lions again in the postseason.

That didn’t happen after Green Bay fell in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

The Packers waited all offseason to face the NFC North champion Lions, then made the most of the opportunity.

“(Expletive), it doesn’t feel bad,” guard Sean Rhyan said. “I can tell you that. It definitely doesn’t feel bad. They’re a good team, but I think we just put everybody on alert that somebody might be coming back.”

The Packers won three straight NFC North titles between 2019-2021, going 15-3 against the division in that time. Green Bay also went to two NFC Championship Games and were the NFC’s No. 1 seed during that stretch.

Things took a turn for the worst, though, in recent seasons.

The Packers were just 8-10 against the NFC North from 2022-’24, finished third in the division twice and second once.

Along the way, the Lions had become the bully of the division, winning back-to-back divisional titles.

“For me it was I wanted to beat the Lions at home,” Kraft said. “I had yet to do that in my career here.”

Now he has.

A year ago, the Lions led the NFL in scoring, averaging 33.2 points per game. Detroit also ranked second in the league in total offense (409.5).

On this night, Green Bay’s defense was sensational, holding the Lions to 246 yards. Detroit also scored its fewest points since Week 7, 2023.

The Lions boast arguably the NFL’s best running back duo in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. The Packers limited Gibbs to 19 rushing yards in nine carries (2.1) and held the Lions to 46 rushing yards overall.

Green Bay also had four sacks, including one from recently acquired edge rusher Micah Parsons, who made a major impact (three pressures) in his 29 snaps.

“We came out with the right mindset, we had a lot of energy and we were on our job,” Packers safety Xavier McKinney said. “And that’s really all you can ask for.”

Offensively, Green Bay scored 17 points on its first three possessions and forced the Lions to play uphill all night.

“It was a big goal for us to come in here and start fast,” Love said. “I feel like in our past couple games against these guys we got off to some slow starts and put ourselves behind, so it was a big goal for us to come out there and start fast. And we did exactly that. Came out opening drive and scored points, so it’s exactly how you want to start right there.”

Start — and finish.

The Packers did both. And in the process, they made a monumental Week 1 statement.

“I think people had us as a really good team,” Parsons said. “But I don’t think they really understand how good we can really be.”

McKinney agreed.

“Yeah, it’s what I figured we was going to do,” McKinney said. “We prepared for it all camp, all offseason. Obviously we had a bad taste in our mouth from last year, being 0-2.”

For now, the Packers are 1-0 against the Lions — and the NFC North.

And they’ve taken their first step towards taking back the division.