The Green Bay Packers have started their 2025 season with a definitive win over the reigning NFC North champion Detroit Lions. In their statement victory, the momentum from the trade for All-pro pass rusher Micah Parsons carried directly into the first drives for both sides of the Packers. When you are facing a team that has had as much success as the Lions over the past few seasons, it’s good to have a Packers fast start.
Offense
The fight for the NFC north began with with a victory for the Lions as they won the coin toss and elected to receive the second half kickoff. Although most NFL teams choose to defer, this decision by the Lions may have ended in the same result if the Packers had won the coin toss. Matt Lafleur, known for wanting the Packers to start with “hot piss,” often chooses to put the ball in his offense’s hands on the first drive when given the choice to do so.
The fan’s energy, sparked by Parsons’ introduction as the final Packer out of the tunnel, continued through Savion Williams’ 37 yard return on the opening kickoff. Unfortunately, Bo Melton drew flags by holding a Lions defender and erasing 10 yards of that return. Fans did not have to wait long for a reason to get excited again.
After a one yard gain by Josh Jacobs, Jordan Love found Romeo Doubs for a 20 yard burst on a deep out route. A few plays later, Love hit Dontayvion Wicks for 16 yards on a 3rd and 9. Matthew Golden made his first NFL catch by converting a 3rd and 6 for 11 yards after two more plays that failed to gain more than 2 yards.
Possibly frustrated by the Packers ease of converting 3rd downs, Brian Branch gave them 15 free yards by pulling Tucker Kraft’s helmet off and earning an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Doubling down on Branch’s mistake, Love zipped a 15 yard seam throw to Kraft for a touchdown right in front of Branch.
In the Packers opening offensive drive, Love threw for 80 yards and a touchdown. He looked collected behind an offensive line that protected him well, and converted on 3 third downs through the air. There could not have been a more ideal Packers’ fast start.
Defense
After the offensive Packers’ fast start, the defense took the field to do the same. Starting on their own 24 yard line, the Lions opened with a run by first round running back Jahmyr Gibbs. He was immediately brought down for a gain of only a yard by the Packers defensive ends Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness.
A pass to Gibbs gained two more yards, but he failed to get anything else against Kesian Nixon. Third down brought Micah Parsons on the field for his first snap as a Packer across from Penei Sewell.
Parsons beat Sewell on an inside move to force Jared Goff to check the ball down to Gibbs, who was tackled for a loss of 2. As fast as the offense moved, a three and out by the defense was a more dominant Packers fast start.
Tone setting starts
It was clear from these two drives how prepared each team was to play. Although the Lions had recent success on their side, the Packers played with more ferocity in the beginning of this game. These first two drives set the tone of the rest of the game where the Packers moved the ball easily and the Lions failed to get their offense in gear.
The Packers fast start was not due to luck or flukes. As was demonstrated by the rest of the game, the playcalling and execution complemented each other perfectly. Despite questions about games in the past, Matt Lafleur’s team was ready to go from the minute the kickoff was in the air.
Looking forward beyond a short week, the Packers fast start bodes well for Thursday night’s game against the Washington Commanders. If the Lions looked like a tough matchup, the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last year should be too. No matter how Thursday’s game unfolds, the Packers can win with a few fast initial drives and never letting off the gas.
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