GREEN BAY – They're two marks the Packers are determined to turn around.
The first is the Packers' record in NFC North games last year: 1-5. The second is how they've fared against the Lions dating back to the end of the 2021 season, Detroit coach Dan Campbell's first with the club: 1-6.
Neither record is anything to feel good about, and both must change in 2025 for the Packers to be the team they believe they can be, starting in Sunday's season opener against Detroit at Lambeau Field (3:25 p.m. CT, CBS).
Losing six of their last seven to the Lions is unfamiliar territory for the Packers. The last time Detroit had that type of successful run in this series was more than 40 years ago, when the Lions won seven of eight from '80-'83.
The sweep at the hands of the Lions last season was particularly damaging, as it relegated the Packers to third place in the division and the seventh and final seed in the NFC playoffs, which produced an early exit at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champion Eagles.
While the players aren't dwelling on last season's results as this season begins, they certainly haven't forgotten. Here are some of the comments heard in the locker room this week.
QB Jordan Love: "It definitely sits with you. Not even going against the Lions but just our performance against every team in the NFC North wasn't good enough, wasn't up to our standards. That's definitely something that's lingered with us throughout the offseason."
RB Josh Jacobs: "We definitely have a weird feeling about last year. Especially in our division. It's something that's on the back of our mind."
RG Sean Rhyan: "What's in the past is in the past. We've gotta play better."
Even newcomer Micah Parsons chimed in, noting he felt his former team the Cowboys had developed a rivalry with the Lions akin to a divisional matchup, having played them each of the last three years (though Parsons missed the 2024 meeting due to injury): "I already got that rivalry built up where I'm excited to play them. I never liked Detroit. Never liked them."
Consider the feeling mutual, Campbell's nostalgic comments this week about Lambeau Field notwithstanding.
The Lions have won the NFC North each of the last two seasons, their first division crowns since 1993, when it was the five-team NFC Central. They're the favorites to repeat until somebody says otherwise.
That's the opportunity the Packers have in front of them to open the season, and for the first time in Head Coach Matt LaFleur's tenure, Week 1 is at home. The change, and the chance it presents, isn't lost on him.
"Week 1 is the most playoff-type atmosphere that you can come by, just in terms of everybody … the excitement, the energy in the stadium, the fans are certainly going to be rowdy," LaFleur said. "Everybody's been itching missing football. So, yeah, I think it's a big deal because I expect our crowd to show up and show out for us."
It's the Packers' job to get that crowd into the game early and keep it engaged, which didn't happen in two big division games at home last year against the Vikings and Lions.
Green Bay fell behind in those contests 28-0 and 24-3, respectively, and it wasn't much better in the road rematches, either, as the Packers trailed 10-0 at Detroit and 20-3 at Minnesota. Three of the four games were ultimately decided by a field goal or less.
The Packers would rather not resort to trying to be comeback kings again this year. Obviously, they'd rather flip the script.
"I feel like a lot of cases in the games were just slow starts, got behind the 8-ball," Love said. "So we definitely want to come out swinging, come out fast and just execute."
Added Rhyan: "New year. New team for them, new team for us. We get to go out there, and everyone starts zero and zero. So, bring it."
The Packers haven't won the NFC North since 2021, a regular season that concluded with the loss to the Lions while resting starters for the playoffs. That game started Detroit's current run of success in this series.
Green Bay can't win the NFC North on Sunday at Lambeau Field, but it can certainly begin blazing a trail toward a division title by starting the season on the right foot.
"It's huge," right tackle Zach Tom said. "To open up against a divisional opponent, especially the one that's won the division the past couple years, it's time to make a statement.
"If we want to be who we want to be, then these are the games we've got to win."
