Packers make strong opening statement
Green Bay’s undoing in the 2024 season was often their inability to start fast in games against the toughest opponents, putting themselves in a hole they could not dig out of. It was the polar opposite on Sunday.
The Packers were ready to play, established a 17-3 lead by halftime and controlled the game from start to finish.
After going 1-5 in the division and 0-6 against the Lions, Vikings and Eagles a year ago, it was the perfect start to 2025.
Parsons supercharges Hafley’s defense
It did not take long for Parsons to make his mark on the Packers defense. He was a constant menace in his limited snap count, leaving All-Pro offensive tackle Penei Sewell fighting for his life when left one on one.
The extra attention Parsons garnered only made life easier for his teammates up front, with Rashan Gary, Lukas Van Ness, Devonte Wyatt and Colby Wooden all having strong games.
His pressure caused the game’s only turnover, allowing Evan Williams to intercept a pass just as it looked like the Lions might find the end zone, which they did not end up doing until the final minute, when Isaac TeSlaa made a circus catch to put some lipstick on the pig for Detroit.
Hafley showed how brilliant of a defensive coordinator he is last season, coaching up a group which had plenty of good defenders, but not enough star power and turning them into a top ten defense.
Now he has the cherry on top in Parsons, who should be a force multiplier for this unit and allow other players to shine.
Equal opportunity offense is here to stay
The offense was equally responsible for Green Bay’s hot start, scoring points on their first three drives, including two darts from Jordan Love for touchdowns to Tucker Kraft and Jayden Reed.
Love and the offense sputtered somewhat in the third quarter, and running the ball was a struggle until late in the game, but the dominant play of their defense ensured it did not matter.
Most notably for the Packers offense; it looks like the plan to spread the ball around and keep defenses guessing will continue in 2025.
No player had more than three catches for Green Bay (Jayden Reed), or more than 68 yards (Romeo Doubs), but ten different players caught a pass on Sunday. The Packers’ depth in terms of offensive skill players is a real strength of the team.
Run defense just fine without Clark
Partially due to a yarn spun by Jerry Jones and perpetuated by his friends in the media, there has been some consternation about how swapping Kenny Clark for Parsons would impact Green Bay’s run defense.
The Packers provided an emphatic response against one of the league’s most lauded rushing attacks in week one. David Montgomery had just 25 yards on 11 carries, while Jahmyr Gibbs only managed 19 on nine totes.
The run game is the engine of Detroit’s offense, and Green Bay’s front seven shut them down all day long. Edgerrin Cooper was unconscious in this game, racking up eight solo tackles, while the Packers had nine tackles for loss as a defense, including two for Quay Walker and Wooden.
Green Bay’s faith in their young players on the defensive front seems to be paying off early.
Daniel Whelan worth every penny
Fresh off signing a two-year, $6.2m contract extension this week, Whelan showed just why the Packers are so high on their punter and impressed with the progress he has made.
Whelan averaged 54.7 yards on three punts, including a long of 65, and pinned the Lions inside the 20-yard line twice.
Elsewhere, Brandon McManus made all his kicks with ease, and with all three specialists under contract long term, including long snapper Matt Orzech, it seems the Packers are finally headed towards respectability on special teams.