DETROIT — The Detroit Lions have been the standard in the NFC North the past few seasons, that’s not something the Green Bay Packers have taken lightly.
Before the 2025 season, the Lions had won six of their last seven games against the divisional foes and were coming off back-to-back NFC North titles.
But their reign may be in trouble as the Packers knocked off the Lions on Thanksgiving, completing their first sweep of Detroit since the 2020-21 season, the year before coach Dan Campbell arrived.
The [31-24 victory at Ford Field](https://www.mlive.com/lions/2025/11/depleted-detroit-lions-fall-again-to-packers-as-playoff-chances-take-a-hit.html) was meaningful to the Packers, well beyond just another tick in the win column.
“To come in here, against a really quality opponent, they’ve got great players, great coaches, I’ve got so much respect for what they’ve been able to accomplish the last few years,” coach Matt LaFleur said postgame. “You know it’s going to be a battle every time you come in here. But I was really proud of our players. This was a playoff-type atmosphere, and to be able to come in and win on the road is big for us.”
The Packers led the entire way after opening up scoring early in the first quarter. The Lions made a few runs despite working with a depleted offense, but never found their way fully back into the game.
A big reason for that was star edge rusher Micah Parsons having a field day against the Lions O-line. He finished with eight tackles, 2.5 sacks and four QB hits on Jared Goff.
Even though he’s still new to the Lions-Packers rivalry, he’s faced the Lions before and knows the importance of getting past them in their hopes of unseating Detroit as the NFC North’s top dog.
“It’s a huge win. This was the division champs last year. You know who they have on the team, you know what they bring,” Green Bay edge rusher Micah Parsons said. “This is a team that fights to the end. It’s a battle, we’re all banged up. That was a 12-round boxing match. (Muhammad) Ali. That’s what it feels like. This is a team we aren’t going to write off. We’ll probably see them again.”
And for those players that have been around the matchup for a few years, the chance to silence a raucous Ford Field environment was validating itself.
This was the second time in the last five seasons the Packers beat Detroit at their own home field.
“It’s always a good feeling to come in Detroit and win, especially with the fans, how they start off the game all loud and cheering. I like making them quiet,” veteran edge rusher Rashan Gary said. “It’s always good coming back in Detroit, but the main thing is we gotta enjoy this win. Still got things to clean up on and we just come back better.”
The Packers are now in the driver’s seat alongside the Chicago Bears in the NFC North. While the Bears are top in the division, they have a 1-2 mark against divisional teams compared to Green Bay’s 3-0.
The two upcoming matchups between Chicago and Green Bay could very well decide who wins the division.
The Lions will hope they slip up elsewhere as they now hold a 1-3 mark against NFC North teams and lost out on their chances to set the Packers back.