Lions begin pursuit of third straight NFC North title as they visit Packers

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Detroit (15-3) at Green Bay (11-7)

Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT, CBS.

BetMGM NFL Odds: Packers by 2 1/2.

Series record: Packers lead 106-78-7.

Last meeting: Lions beat the Packers 34-31 at Detroit on Dec. 5, 2024.

Lions offense in 2024: overall (2), rush (6), pass (2), scoring (1).

Lions defense in 2024: overall (20), rush (5), pass (30), scoring (7).

Packers offense in 2024: overall (5), rush (5), pass (12), scoring (8).

Packers defense in 2024: overall (5), rush (7), pass (13), scoring (6).

Turnover differential in 2024: Lions plus-9; Packers plus-12.

WR Jameson Williams. Teammates and coaches have been raving about his offseason, coming off a breakout season. He had 58 receptions for 1,001 yards and seven touchdowns last year in his third NFL season.

DE Micah Parsons. The Packers sent their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks plus three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark to Dallas to acquire one of the game's top pass rushers. They even made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Just how much Parsons will play Sunday remains uncertain. He's dealing with a back issue and has been limited in practice this week.

The Lions offensive line against the Packers defensive front. Detroit has new starters in three positions on the offensive line between two-time All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell and 32-year-old left tackle Taylor Detroit. The Lions plan to start 2024 sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany and second-round rookie Tate Ratledge at guard. Four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow retired and will be replaced by 33-year-old Graham Glasgow, who played guard along with Kevin Zeitler, who signed with Tennessee.

Lions: OT Jamarco Jones (ankle), LB Trevor Nowaske (elbow) and RB Sione Vaki (hamstring) have been ruled out.

Packers: Parsons, S Zayne Anderson (knee), CB Nate Hobbs (knee), WR Jayden Reed (foot), DL Barryn Sorrell (knee), WR Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and WR Savion Williams (hamstring) are questionable.

The Lions swept their matchups with the Packers last season and have won in each of their past three trips to Green Bay. Detroit won 24-14 at Green Bay last season before surviving the rematch 34-31. Lions coach Dan Campbell is 6-2 against the Packers.

Detroit won a franchise-record 15 games last season before losing to Washington in the divisional playoffs. ... The Lions have won consecutive division titles for the first time since winning three straight from 1952-54. ... Detroit is 11-1 in the division over the past two years, losing only to Green Bay at home on Thanksgiving in 2023. ... QB Jared Goff ranked second last season in passer rating (111.8), yards passing (4,629) and completion rate (career-high 72.4%) last year. ... RB Jahmyr Gibbs scored an NFL-high 20 TDs last season. Gibbs and David Montgomery became the first duo on a team to score at least 10 TDs from scrimmage in two straight seasons since Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor did it with the Packers in 1960-61. ... WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of three players in NFL history to have 100-plus receptions in three of their first four seasons. The others are Brandon Marshall and Michael Thomas. ... Sam LaPorta has 146 catches, the most by a TE in the league in his first two seasons. ... S Brian Branch is the first NFL player this century with at least 100 tackles, 15 passes defended and eight tackles for losses in a season. ... Lions All-Pro S Kerby Joseph had a league-high nine interceptions last season, including a pick-6 against Green Bay. Packers S Xavier McKinney also earned All-Pro honors and ranked second in the league with eight interceptions. ... Lions special teams ace Grant Stuard, the last pick of the 2021 draft, was voted a captain in his first season with the team after playing for Indianapolis and Tampa Bay. ... The Packers are opening a season at home for the first time since 2018. ... Green Bay has won its home opener each of the past 12 seasons, the longest such streak in franchise history. ... Packers DE Rashan Gary has 4 1/2 sacks in his past three games against the Lions. ... Packers RB Josh Jacobs has six TD runs in his four matchups against Detroit. ... The Packers went 1-5 in NFC North games last season for its worst divisional record since 2005, when they also went 1-5 in divisional games. ... The Packers have made the playoffs five of the past six years. They lost at Philadelphia in the wild-card round last season. ... Parsons is making his Packers debut after getting at least 12 sacks in each of his four seasons in Dallas.

Jahmyr Gibbs is Detroit's most productive running back, but don't overlook David Montgomery. He has a history of productive performances against the Packers. He totaled 180 scrimmage yards in the Lions' two victories over the Packers last season. He ran for 192 yards and four touchdowns against Green Bay in 2023. If your fantasy team includes Montgomery, make sure he's in your starting lineup this weekend.

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