The Lions open the 2025 season as road favorites over the Packers in Week 1.
The 2025 NFL regular season schedule was released on Wednesday night, and the Detroit Lions will kick things off at Lambeau Field, where they’ll take on their division rival Green Bay Packers.
The Lions and the Packers both made the playoffs in 2024, and each is considered a strong contender for the NFC North crown in 2025. But recent history has been on the side of Detroit, as the Lions have not only won the division title in back-to-back seasons, but they’ve also won six of their last seven matchups against the Packers, including winning the last three games in Lambeau Field.
With that in mind, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise that the folks over at FanDuel Sportsbook have set the opening betting line at Lions -1.5 points.
The Lions saw both their offensive and defensive coordinators exit for head coaching positions this offseason, but the majority of the coaching staff returns, and the players on the roster are healthy, improved, and confident heading into 2025.
Last season, the Lions swept the Packers without the services of their top three edge rushers, Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, and Josh Paschal in both games. Additionally, Jameson Williams missed Week 9, while DJ Reader and Alex Anzalone were both unable to play in Week 14. All six starters are expected to be ready to go this offseason.
But the Lions aren’t just healthier; their roster and depth have also improved. In free agency, the Lions signed D.J. Reed to replace Carlton Davis and Grant Stuard to replace Jalen Reeves-Maybin, then added Roy Lopez, Avonte Maddox, and Rock Ya-Sin to strengthen their defense. They further strengthened the interior defensive line by drafting Tyleik Williams in the first round of the NFL Draft while also snagging Tate Ratledge as a potential Kevin Zeitler replacement. Additionally, Isaac Tesla gives the Lions yet another dynamic offensive weapon, Ahmed Hassanein adds more juice on the edge, while Georgia’s Dan Jackson and Dominic Lovett will bolster the Lions’ special teams.
While the Lions have focused their offseason on getting bigger and more athletic, the Packers spent their offseason getting a lot more athletic—investing in speedy linebackers in free agency while adding wide receivers and offensive/defensive linemen in the draft—and sacrificing bulk. This strategy should help them be more competitive throughout the season, but it’s also fair to wonder how this approach will play out against the Lions.
We’ll find out in Week 1.
