The good, bad and ugly of the Green Bay Packers win the Detroit Lions

The last NFC North Championship of the Green Bay Packers came in 2021.

Green Bay was only 8-10 in the division in the past three years. And Detroit was 6-1 in the last seven games against the packers.

Green Bay, which has super bowl ambitions in 2025, knows that it will never reach those elevated heights if it cannot reclaim the dominance in the division.

“If we want to be who we want to be, then these are the games we have to win,” said Packers Right Tackle Zach Tom for the game. “So it is an opportunity for us to make a statement, to make a big statement.”

The packers did that on Sunday with an impressive 27-13 victory over Detroit.

The lions came from a 15-2 season and had won the last two NFC North titles. But the packers led to finish from start and had one of their most striking victories in recent memory.

Here is the ‘good, bad and ugly’ of the impressive week 1 victory of the packers.

Good

Dominant defense: The Lions led the NFL in the scoring in 2024 on average 33.2 points per match. Detroit is also in second place in the competition in total attack (409.5).

But Green Bay’s defense was sensational and kept the lions on 246 total yards.

Green Bay’s game plan started with the delay of Detroit star who ran back Jahmyr Gibbs and that is exactly what the packers did. Gibbs was held on 20 hasten recruiting on eight Carry’s (2.5) and the lions had only recruited 47 hurry.

Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, who had a team-high 12 tackles, played an important role in removing Gibbs.

“You have to stop the run game,” said Packers Safety Xavier McKinney. “If you can stop the Run game, it makes it a lot easier for the rest of the game. They also have some guys on the outside, that can be a problem. But I think their attack is running through Gibbs.”

Corner Javon Bullard intercepted Detroit Quarterback Jared Goff. And the packers recorded four bags.

Lukas van Ness, Devonte Wyatt and Rashan Gary had the first three bags. The crowd then absolutely went bongos when newcomer Micah Parsons noted his first bag as a Packer in the final minute.

What a start: Packers -Coach Matt Lafleur spoke about starting quickly during the week.

“Fixed start, I think, is crucial if you play against a really good football team,” said Lafleur.

And that is exactly what Green Bay did, putting together a 12-play, 83-Yard Touchdown-Drive on his first possession of the season.

Love completed 6-of-8 fits for 65 yards on the drive, including 3-out-3 on third down throws. Love then closed the drive when he fired a touchdown of 15 meters to a tight end from Tucker Kraft.

After the defense of Green Bay forced a three-and-out, the Packers drove into the red zone and Drandon McManus brought a 34-year field goal to bring the score on 10-0.

“I think when you go to a team that has a really good attack and also a good defense, it is first,” said Packers Quarterback Jordan Love during the week. “You have to start with a hot start, raise a few points, because if you come behind such an attack, you have to set up points in a hurry to keep track of. They are a good team … so we absolutely want to come out, come out quickly and just perform.”

Jordan Love: The Quarterback of the Packers went into the year as a Darkhorse MVP candidate. He is perhaps more than a Darkhorse with more competitions such as Sunday.

Love, playing with a brace on his left (non-throwing) hand, completed 16-of-22 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns. He also ended with a passer -rating of 128.6.

Sensational half: The packers played one of their better first halves in a while and led 17-3 during the break.

Quarterback Jordan Love was 12-of-16 before 167 yards with two touchdowns, no interceptions and a 147.7 passer-rating.

The packers gave a lead of 178-123 in total yards and hit 4-out-6 on the third downs. Green Bay also had an average of 7.7 meters per game and limited the lions to an average of 3.8.

Memory Lane: The Packers honored their 2010 Super Bowl team, which won the title 15 years ago during the break.

Twenty players returned for the ceremony and received loud ovations. But the loudest cheers was saved for former coach Mike McCarthy, who led those packers to six consecutive victories to close the year, including a 31-25 victory Pittsburgh in the 45^one Super bowl.

This and that: Punter Daniel Whelan, who signed a new contract this week, on average 54.7 meters at his three points. … Jayden Reed had a point of 20 meters in the fourth quarter. … Rashan Gary became only the eighth player in Packer History to post 40.0 career bags. … the packers defeated the Lions in Lambeau Field for the first time since 2021.

Bad

Coach: Packers coach Matt Lafleur was only 1-6 on challenge games in 2024. Lafleur was also only 2-12 in his last 14 challenges.

So to the surprise of nobody, Lafleur lost his first challenge of 2025.

Amon-Ra St. Brown from Detroit attracted a 19-meter pass on the right. Lafleur did not feel that St. Brown got both feet in limits and challenged the piece.

But repetitions confirmed that St. Brown indeed came in both feet and lost Lafleur again.

This and that: Bo Melton was marked because he had held the opening kick and had wiped out an impressive Run of Savion Williams. … Green Bay had to rearrange his attacking line after losing the right Tackle Zach Tom (hip) and left guard Aaron Banks (ankle). … the packers ended with only 85 yards in the second half.

Ugly

True Blue: Tickets prizes for this game were Sky High.

And many packers fans clearly took advantage of and sold their seats to Lions fans.

About 30% of the 77,239 fans were in powder blue.

And while Packer Nation held their bags, it also allowed more Detroit fans in the building that Green Bay would have liked.