Do you feel that? There’s a brisk wind in the air, and as the wind shifts, there’s also the feeling of optimism in the air, because there will be meaningful Green Bay Packers football on our televisions beginning this Sunday. The Packers open up the season at Lambeau Field, where they’ll take on the Detroit Lions in their only divisional matchup until late November. Of course, there’s a lot to look at ahead of this season, as well as Sunday’s season opener. Let’s see how things stack up:

The Big Story

If there was a trophy for the off-season, the Packers would have likely won it late, with the blockbuster trade last week that sent former Dallas Cowboys DE Micah Parsons to Green Bay in exchange for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. In a move that some sports writers and fans are calling worse than Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, Parsons is looking to be the latest sports star to leave Dallas and ultimately leave them broken-hearted. 

While the addition of Parsons is undoubtedly monumental, it will be his quick adjustment to Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley’s system to keep an eye on. The four-time Pro Bowler should be fine; in fact, he’s never had fewer than 12 sacks in each of his four seasons with Dallas. In comparison, Green Bay hasn’t had a double-digit sack season from any of their defensive players in the time that Parsons has been in the league. But he will still need to work within the Packers’ defensive scheme, and work hard to get to Jared Goff on Sunday afternoon. In any case, expect Parsons to receive a hero’s welcome on Sunday, as well as make an impact on the defensive side of the ball for Green Bay. 

On the other side of the field, the Lions come into this season as the reigning NFC North champions, before injuries played a big factor in their 2024-25 playoff exit. They went 15-2 last year, completing a full transformation from their once-annual fate at the bottom of the division. The Lions are working with new roles upstairs, too, with new Offensive Coordinator John Morton coming in from Denver, and Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard being promoted after former coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn both landed head coaching jobs in Chicago and with the New York Jets, respectively.

Where to watch the Packers vs. Detroit

Sunday’s game kicks off at 3:25 p.m. Central. You can watch it on CBS or Paramount+ on streaming. Of course, you can also belly up at any of Milwaukee’s many sports bars to watch the game, and if you’re out of town, you’re in luck; there’s a Packers bar in every state (and beyond.)

Elsewhere in the NFC North

The Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears will open up their 2025-26 season against one another as well on Monday night at Soldier Field. Will the field hold up after five straight nights of sold out concerts in Chicago? We’ll find out.

It’s the start of a brand new football season. Go Pack Go!