The Green Bay Packers are, arguably, the most talked about team heading into the 2025 NFL season after making a blockbuster trade to acquire All-Pro defender Micah Parsons last week.
That’s going to make for an even more intriguing season opener when the Detroit Lions head to Lambeau Field on Sunday to kick off their campaign for a third straight NFC North title.
Here’s a preview of the Lions’ first opponent for the season and some of their biggest competition in the division:
Three players to know
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A lot of the Packers’ roster holds over from last season, but three new faces could be X-factors for Green Bay on Sunday and throughout the season.
* Edge Micah Parsons is chief among the group after being traded to the Packers by the Dallas Cowboys. In four seasons, Parsons has accumulated 52.5 sacks and is among the best defensive players in the NFL, when healthy.
* Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden makes his NFL debut against the Lions after being selected 23rd overall in the draft. Lions WR coach Scottie Montgomery praised Golden’s speed and fluidity when he scouted the former Texas standout during the draft process.
* Top free agent signing left guard Aaron Banks highlights newcomers on the offensive line for the Packers. Although seen as an overpay by some on his four-year, $77 million deal, Banks has been solid during his career with the San Francisco 49ers and has only allowed three sacks in 1,683 career pass block snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Quarterback corner
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The Lions have learned a lot about quarterback Jordan Love, who is back for his third full season as a starter with the Packers, since he entered the league.
Love continues to rise every year and, if he stays healthy, could make another big leap in 2025. The Lions kept Love in check for the most part during an injury-plagued 2024, particularly in their first matchup where they held him to a season-low 25.7 QBR.
After throwing for over 4,000 yards and 32 touchdowns in his first season as a starter, Love took a small step back in production in 2024 with 3,389 yards and 25 touchdowns in 15 games.
In his final outing in 2024, Love threw three picks en route to a playoff defeat against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Lions will hope to avoid being his bounce-back game to kick off 2025.
Keys to success
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* **Third-down conversions:** The Packers ranked 10th in the NFL in third-down conversion percentage (40.4%) last season. But in both their losses to the Lions, they were held to 25% or below, crucially keeping the ball away from a talented offense. Green Bay making more of those key conversions could make for a more challenging foe in 2025.
* **First-half defense:** A top-6 overall defense from 2024 returns almost all of its key pieces. They were particularly hard to crack in the second half of games, averaging nine points allowed per game in the second half to 11 points allowed in first halves. If the Packers defense, led by the likes of linebacker Quay Walker and edge Rashan Gary, can start stronger, they’re going to be even more dangerous than last season.
One big question
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How much will Micah Parsons play?
The Packers and Lions played some close football last season and now Green Bay adds one of the top defensive players in the league. But we have no clue how much of Parsons we will see.
The Packers aren’t overhauling their defense and Parsons didn’t practice for most of training camp, so it’s fair to wonder how much he can actually cause chaos in this first game while getting acclimated.
Coach Matt LaFleur said on Friday that the team will have to be “very calculated with how they deploy” Parsons and his number of snaps as they continue to assess where he is at this point.
Last season, Green Bay was a very solid pass rushing team, with 45 total sacks despite not having a single player record eight or more on the year (eight of the top-10 teams for sacks had at least one).
Now with a player who has at least 12 sacks in every season he’s been in the NFL, there’s a chance Parsons might just get out on the field and start causing problems for a Lions O-line that’s still getting settled.
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