The Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will face off at Lambeau Field on Sept. 7, with Jim Nantz and Tony Romo on the call with CBS carrying the game.
That’s unusual with FOX usually being the NFC partner, but with every team playing to start the season, that is the nature of the beast.
The Packers will be looking to get off to a good start, after finishing on a sour note a season ago.
Here’s more on that with a six-pack of thoughts with the regular season set to begin.
1. Winds of Change — The Detroit Lions will try to follow in the footsteps of last year’s Super Bowl champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles replaced both of their coordinators and rode that all the way to Super Bowl glory. The Lions will need to replace Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, both of whom received promotions this offseason, with the eye on winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl title.
2. Golden Receiver — Matthew Golden made history this offseason simply by existing. He’ll be the first first-round receiver drafted by the Packers to take the field since Javon Walker in 2002. Golden will likely be a starter at the position, but even if he’s not a starter in name, he’ll play a lot with a chance to make an impact.
3. New Look Secondary — Out with the old, in with the new as they say. Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes are gone. They’ll be replaced by a bigger role for Carrington Valentine and the addition of Nate Hobbs. There will be no easing into the season. Detroit’s offense is one of the best in football, and they have a plethora of weapons that the Packers will need to account for.
4. Dominant no longer — After owning the NFC North for the majority of the last decade, the Packers took a step back a season ago. They were 1-5 in the division and easily could have been 0-6. Karl Brooks’ blocked field goal against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field saved the Packers from that embarrassment. They’ll get a chance this year to prove they’re up to the task.
That’s especially true against Detroit. The Packers had a winning streak reach double digits against the Lions at Lambeau Field. The Lions finally broke that streak in 2015, and they have won their last three games at Lambeau Field. For the Packers to get back to the postseason and compete for the Super Bowl, they need Lambeau Field to be the home field advantage it was in previous years.
5. Trench Warfare — Football games are won and lost on the line of scrimmage. Both of these teams are replacing the spine of their offensive and defensive lines, respectively. The Lions will need to replace Frank Ragnow, who retired this offseason. The Packers are replacing TJ Slaton, who was their best run defender a season ago. How will Green Bay’s run defense fare without him? How will they fare without Kenny Clark, who was sent out in the deal to acquire Micah Parsons? They’ll be tested early with Detroit’s dynamic backfield.
6. Pivot Point — Elgton Jenkins started one game a season ago at center for the Packers. Oddly enough, it’s against the same team he will face Sunday. The Packers have insisted they believe Jenkins can be an All-Pro at center, and he has played well in the past when asked to move to the middle of the offensive line. Last year, however, he struggled against Detroit, particularly with shotgun snaps. It rained heavily that day and may not this time around, but there will be an adjustment period here.
