There was a common theme against the top-tier teams last year for the Green Bay Packers: Get off to a sluggish start, dig a hole early, and then frantically try to crawl out of it in the second half.
That method didn’t work against the Detroit Lions, who beat the Packers in both matchups in 2024. This year, it will be critical for the Packers to get out of the gates quickly against Detroit.
Head coach Matt LaFleur made it very clear on Wednesday how important it will be to start fast on Sunday.
I think with specifically Detroit in both games that we played them, we got behind way too early and that’s hard to do against a really good football team. We had a couple costly turnovers in both games that ended up being critical plays.
So how can Green Bay flip the script in 2025?
We gotta do a great job really offensively and with our return units, hanging on to that football. Defensively, we’ve got to make a game-changing play in some facet. I think we had one interception in the two games last year. … Getting off to a fast start I think is critical when you’re playing against a really good football team.
The numbers from 2024 are truly an eyesore. In their six losses last year, Green Bay scored a combined four touchdowns in the first half of those games and trailed at halftime in five of the six.
Against Detroit last year, the Packers trailed 17-3 and 17-7 at halftime. While those aren’t insurmountable deficits, the Lions were among the NFL’s best teams, and it’s no easy task making those comebacks. Green Bay didn’t do it on either occasion.
Detroit was able to build those leads in the first half and then successfully hold off any late-game heroics from Green Bay’s offense. And, when it comes to the Lions, that wasn’t just a problem last year.
Since 2022, Green Bay is 1-5 against the Lions. In those five losses, the Packers have been outscored in the first half by a combined score of 75-22. That flat-out can’t happen again this year for Green Bay to contend for the NFC North crown.
So, how can the Packers ensure the tide turns in their favor?
Let’s start by looking at third down. The Packers converted 3 of 12 third-down attempts in the first game against Detroit and 1 of 5 in the second. Typically, those numbers simply won’t suffice. The Lions were the NFL’s best team in third-down conversion rate, allowing opponents to move the sticks just 32.4% of the time. Nobody did it better. But flipping that script will be a crucial factor in shifting the balance of power.
In that second matchup in particular, third and fourth down played a huge part in Detroit edging out the Packers.
Ben Johnson’s offense was 7 for 15 on third down and 4 for 5 on fourth down in a 34-31 win.
The Packers also need to execute chunk plays in the passing game.
Despite what felt like a passing game on shaky ground for much of the season, the Packers were fifth in the NFL with 59 completions of 20-plus yards in 2024. On top of that, Jordan Love was tied for second, behind only Lamar Jackson, with 12 completions of 40-plus yards.
So how did Detroit’s defense do in those categories last year?
The Lions allowed 62 completions of 20 or more yards, second-most in the NFL. They also allowed 10 completions of 40 or more yards, tied for fourth-most in the league.
It was a really good defense for Aaron Glenn last year. It was a defense that faced numerous injury obstacles throughout the entire season, including the loss of Aidan Hutchinson for the season in Week 5. Glenn’s defense excelled in many areas. One weaker point was allowing the opponent big chunk plays in the passing game at a much higher rate than the rest of the league. Love and the Packers need to capitalize on those looks Sunday.
Mentally, this is a heavy game for Green Bay on Sunday. Find a way to win, and you beat the Lions at Lambeau Field for the first time since 2021. That would allow them to carry that momentum into a quick turnaround for a Thursday night game in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders.
Find a way to win, and you wash away the thoughts of the 1-5 record in the division from a year ago.
Lose, and those thoughts of “here we go again” start to get a little louder.
One way to ensure it’s a win instead of a loss on Sunday for Green Bay? Start fast and have Detroit be the team playing catch-up. It didn’t happen in 2024. It needs to in 2025.