The Detroit Lions kicked off the 2025 season with expectations of building on their 15-2 campaign a year ago. Instead, they walked out of Lambeau Field with more questions than answers after a 27-13 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Head coach Dan Campbell didn’t sugarcoat the performance when he spoke with the media after the game.
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Campbell Owns the Mistakes
“I thought we would be cleaner than we were,” Campbell said postgame. “I thought we would be much cleaner than we were. Our players are accountable… nobody takes it worse than they do. We’ve got some good dudes.”
Coach Campbell on today's loss pic.twitter.com/XKo9jrMiqg
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 7, 2025
The Lions stumbled out of the gate, allowing the Packers to march 83 yards on the opening possession for a touchdown. Detroit’s defense never found a way to rattle Jordan Love, who calmly completed 16-of-22 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Lions’ vaunted pass rush finished with zero sacks and only one pass defense (by cornerback Terrion Arnold, who later left with a groin injury).
Offense Falls Flat
On offense, the Lions struggled to capitalize in the red zone, settling for field goals on three of their first four trips. Quarterback Jared Goff was efficient but uninspiring, completing 31-of-39 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown, and a costly interception.
Detroit’s ground game, a strength in 2024, was bottled up completely. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for just 44 yards on 20 carries, averaging 2.2 yards per attempt. Gibbs did manage to lead the team in receptions with 10 catches, but they went for a modest 31 yards.
The lone bright spot came late in the game when rookie Isaac TeSlaa hauled in a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch, preventing Detroit from being shut out of the end zone until the final minute.
Discipline Issues and Missed Opportunities
If the offense’s inefficiency wasn’t frustrating enough, penalties wiped away two potential game-changing plays. Linebacker Alex Anzalone dropped a would-be interception, and one play later, safety Brian Branch had a pick-six negated by a defensive holding call on Rock Ya-Sin. On the same return, Aidan Hutchinson was flagged for unnecessary roughness.
Those miscues summed up the night for Detroit — a team that never seemed comfortable against a Packers squad that looked every bit like an NFC North contender with new addition Micah Parsons wreaking havoc.
Campbell’s Message Moving Forward
Despite the mistakes, Campbell made it clear he still believes in his locker room.
“Our players are accountable,” Campbell emphasized. “Nobody takes it worse than they do. We’ve got some good dudes.”
The Lions will need those “good dudes” to rebound quickly. Their next challenge comes against former offensive coordinator Ben Johnson and the Chicago Bears, who visit Ford Field in Week 2. A bounce-back performance will be crucial to quiet doubters and prevent Detroit from digging an early-season hole.