GREEN BAY, Wis. — After the first game of the 2025 season, the Detroit Lions already have more road and divisional losses than they did the entire season prior.

The Lions' offense went 1 for 4 in the red zone — its lone touchdown came with 55 seconds left in the game — and couldn't run the football or couldn’t escape the Green Bay Packers’ pass rush in high-leverage situations, leading to a 27-13 Packers win at Lambeau Field on Sunday.

The Lions were undefeated in road (8-0) and NFC North (6-0) games in 2024, streaks that came to an emphatic end against the division favorites in Week 1.

Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combined for 44 yards on 20 carries, an average of 2.2 yards per rush. Detroit’s passing offense averaged just 3.8 yards per play as quarterback Jared Goff went 31 for 39 for 225 yards with an interception and a touchdown. He was sacked four times.

As for the defense, Detroit’s pass rush was nonexistent for most of the contest. According to Pro Football Focus live data, Aidan Hutchinson led the way with a measly three pressures. Packers quarterback Jordan Love had all day to throw from the opening drive, allowing Green Bay to pick up one critical third down after another on its way to a 17-3 halftime lead.

The Lions' dink-and-dunk offensive approach helped the team move downfield, but the team was out of answers once it got to the red zone. With Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons in his face on one red-zone trip, Goff threw an errant pass to wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown that was intercepted by Packers defensive back Evan Williams. On the other two drives that resulted in red-zone trips before the late touchdown, the team ran a combined 27 offensive plays, only to go backward once it finally got in close.

Detroit's only touchdown was a magnificent one-handed catch by rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa, but it was ultimately too little, too late.

The defense had a far better recovery than the offense after both units struggled early. Green Bay went 0 for 6 on third down after starting 4 for 4, which helped the Packers take a 10-0 lead. The Packers only had 263 yards of total offense in the victory, but the Lions' offense couldn't overcome the early deficit.

It didn't take long for the rivalry to resume. Lions safety Brian Branch was given an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for ripping off the helmet of Packers tight end Tucker Kraft during a run stop. A few plays later, Kraft finished off a 12-play, 83-yard touchdown drive — Green Bay went 3 for 3 on third down — by catching a 15-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead with 9:26 left in the opening frame.

The Packers had great starting field position on their second drive after forcing a three-and-out. The Lions were tagged with a penalty on Jack Fox's first punt, resulting in a 30-yard difference between the two returns.

Green Bay again picked up a critical third down when Jordan Love hit wide receiver Jayden Reed for a gain of 26 yards. The first four third-down plays run by Green Bay went for a total of 68 yards. Good coverage from cornerback Terrion Arnold finally gave the Lions a stop and forced a 34-yard field goal. Brandon McManus put it home to make it 10-0 Packers in the first quarter.

A 16-play drive finally got Detroit on the board, but it didn't result in a touchdown. The Lions stalled deep in Green Bay territory, leading to a 30-yard field goal from Jake Bates to cut the deficit to 10-3 with 9:27 left in the first quarter.

The Packers immediately threw a haymaker. Love hit Romeo Doubs for a 48-yard completion over the middle and Reed beat Arnold on the next play for a 17-yard touchdown that gave Green Bay a 17-3 lead. Arnold sustained a groin injury in the first half and did not return to action.

The Lions moved into Green Bay territory near the end of the second quarter with the chance to make it a one-score game. A touchdown would have given Detroit a chance to tie the game out of halftime. Instead, Parsons beat Penei Sewell to drum up pressure and Goff's pass to St. Brown was jumped by Packers defensive back Evan Williams, who picked it off.

Detroit showed a rare timidness offensively in the first half, when Goff was 13 for 16 but had just 75 yards passing.

Goff came out of the second half throwing. He completed a 32-yard pass to tight end Sam LaPorta on the second play of the drive and found him again on a critical third down to make it first-and-goal at the 10. But once again, the Lions' red-zone offense faltered. Detroit settled for a field goal to make it an 11-point game, 17-6, at 9:40 in the third quarter.

Detroit finally forced a three-and-out on the Packers' first drive of the half, as linebacker Derrick Barnes brought down running back Josh Jacobs for a loss on third-and-1.

The Lions had a pick-six by Brian Branch taken off the board at 3:05 in the third quarter when cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, who was in for the injured Arnold, got flagged for defensive holding.

After Green Bay added a field goal to make it 27-6 in the fourth, Parsons brought Goff down with a sack, his first as a Packer.

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