The Detroit Lions came into the 2025 season with plenty of questions to answer. The Green Bay Packers were always going to be a tough opponent, but for those hoping that the lingering concerns about Detroit were all overblown, Week 1 did little to prove some of the doubters wrong.
Both new coordinators didn’t have their best showings. On offense, the Lions failed to find the end zone under new offensive coordinator John Morton until the final minute of the game. The repatched offensive line did little to spark the Lions’ typical electric run game, and Jared Goff rarely had comfortable pockets. On defense, Detroit’s lack of pass rush was notable early in the game, and there were some questionable play calls from new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard on key third downs.
The Packers were in control of the game from the opening drive, and Detroit found themselves down multiple scores for nearly the entire game. The final damage: Packers 27, Lions 13.
As always, it’s important not to overreact to Week 1 of the NFL season, but the doubting voices will only get louder after this game.
Here’s how it happened.
First quarter
The Lions won the coin toss and deferred, giving the ball to Jordan Love and the Packers to start the game. Green Bay picked up an early 20 yards with a shot to Romeo Doubs. Then, on third-and-10, Love connected with Dontayvion Wicks for another 16. That was followed by another third-down conversion—this time to rookie Matthew Golden for 11 yards and into field goal position. Brian Branch then gave the Packers 15 free yards by tossing a Packers player’s helmet. With a lack of pass rush from Detroit, the Packers would find the end zone on yet another third-and-long conversion. Love found Tucker Kraft for a 15-yard touchdown. 7-0 Packers.
After a couple ineffective plays, the Lions faced an immediate third-and-7. Goff was forced to check down and the Lions went three-and-out.
A short punt and 13-yard return put the Packers at midfield to add to their lead. Again, Detroit couldn’t get off the field on a third-and-7, as their blitz package was identified and Love found Jayden Reed for 26 yards. The Lions would finally get a stop in the red zone thanks to tight coverage from Terrion Arnold. But Green Bay made a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-0 Packers with four minutes left in the quarter.
A holding penalty on the ensuing kickoff pushed the Lions back to their own 10-yard line to start drive, but a pair of Jahmyr Gibbs runs helped the Lions earn their opening first down of the season. Jared Goff then hit Amon-Ra St. Brown on a post for 19 yards. The call held up after the Packers challenged it.
A pair of runs set the Lions up for a third-and-1 near midfield as the game moved over to the second quarter.
Second quarter
David Montgomery picked up the conversion to start the next quarter. The Lions were about to face a third-and-long, but the Packers handed Detroit free 15 yards after Xavier McKinney was called for taunting Kalif Raymond. Detroit got into the red zone with a slant to St. Brown to convert a third down. But Goff couldn’t find anyone open on the subsequent third down, and Detroit settled for a field goal. 10-3 Packers.
Green Bay answered in just two plays. On the first play, Love hit Doubs for 48 yards down to Detroit’s 17-yard line. Then, Love found Reed on the wheel route, both plays with Arnold in coverage. 17-3 Packers.
The Lions proceeded to dink and dunk their way down the field and into Packers territory. Detroit faced a critical fourth-and-2 from the Packers’ 30-yard line and opted to go for it, and Goff found Jameson Williams for 11 yards down to Green Bay’s 19-yard line. But three plays later, Goff tried to force a ball to St. Brown and it was jumped by Packers safety Evan Williams for an interception.
With 1:08 remaining in the half and two timeouts left, the Packers tried two plays, and after coming up two yards short, they opted to run clock. Detroit didn’t use a timeout as Green Bay faced a third-and-2, but did after the Packers failed to convert with 21 seconds left.
But Kalif Raymond didn’t do much on a 66-yard punt, leaving Detroit just five seconds left from inside their own 20-yard line. The Lions packed it in there.
Third quarter
Detroit opened the half by getting into field goal range on just two plays: a 5-yard pass to Gibbs and a 32-yard gain to Sam LaPorta.
Goff went right back to LaPorta on third-and-5 for another 16 yards down to the Packers’ 10-yard line. Detroit would have to settle for a field goal after Gibbs lost 6 yards on second down. 17-6 Packers.
To start the second half, Terrion Arnold (hamstring) was replaced by Amik Robertson on the outside. The good news is that the Lions quickly got a three-and-out after Green Bay tried to open with three runs. Derrick Barnes picked up the tackle for loss on third down to force the punt.
Detroit would give the ball back after Goff was sacked on a third-and-5.
Brian Branch appeared to have a pick-six to get Detroit back into the game, but the Lions defense was called for two penalties. An Aidan Hutchinson block on Jordan Love would’ve wiped out the return, but the bigger penalty was Rock Ya-Sin called for defensive holding, which wiped out the interception completely. The Lions did eventually get a stop, though, forcing another Packers punt. Just as the third quarter ended, Terrion Arnold was declared out for the remainder of the game with a hamstring injury.
Fourth quarter
Starting at their own 8-yard line, the Lions offense needed a spark to find the end zone for the first time. They didn’t get it. Goff was sacked on first down, and Detroit just played to avoid a safety on the subsequent two plays.
Punting from their own end zone, the Lions handed great field position to the Packers, and Green Bay took advantage. Josh Jacobs, who was bottled up in the first half, started to grind down the Lions defense. Green Bay faced a fourth-and-1 in the red zone and QB snuck their way to a first-and-goal. Two plays later, Jacobs plowed in from 2 yards out to extend the lead. 24-6 Packers.
Detroit was in desperation mode from here on out, but it resulted in nothing. The Lions went four-and-out after Goff took a sack on fourth-and-2, ending any hope of a Lions comeback.
Green Bay would end up tacking on a field goal, and Detroit would add a meaningless last-minute touchdown for the final score of 27-13. Although, it was one heck of a catch from Isaac TeSlaa.
Onto Chicago.
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