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Dope Sheet: Packers take on the Lions in Detroit

It is the Packers’ first time playing on a Thursday in back-to-back weeks since 2015

LB Quay Walker
LB Quay Walker

The Green Bay Packers cross the lake to take on the Detroit Lions.

  • The Packers lead the regular-season series, 104-77-7 (.572), and have won both postseason contests the two clubs have played.
  • Green Bay's 104 regular-season wins over the Lions are the second most it has against any team (107 vs. Chicago).
  • The two teams split the season series last year with both teams winning on the road.
  • Dating back to 2019, Green Bay is 6-5 overall against the Lions.
  • The Packers have won three of the last five contests at Detroit (2019-23).
  • This will be the fourth time Green Bay has faced a team with a winning percentage of .917 or better 12-plus games into a season (1926, 1968, 1996). The Packers were 1-1-1 in those contests (Elias Sports Bureau).
  • One team has swept the season series in six of the last eight years. The clubs have split their meetings only twice in that span, in 2021 and 2023.
  • The Packers have won five straight road NFC North contests entering Thursday's game in Detroit. Since realignment in 2002, that five-game road winning streak is tied for the second longest by Green Bay against NFC North teams behind only a seven-game winning streak from 2019-21 (the first seven road NFC North contests of Matt LaFleur's head-coaching career).
  • It will be the second of four consecutive scheduled prime-time games for Green Bay, which is the first time the Packers have played four straight prime-time games in a single season since the merger (Elias).
  • Thursday will be the last of three games over a 12-day span for Green Bay.
  • It is the Packers' first time playing on a Thursday in back-to-back weeks since 2015 (Weeks 12-13) and just the third time since the 1970 merger (2007).
  • QB Jordan Love completed 22 of 32 passes for 268 yards (8.4 avg.) with three TDs and zero INTs for a passer rating of 125.5 at Detroit last season.
  • RB Josh Jacobs has played against the Lions three times, recording 92.0 rushing yards per game, which ranks No. 2 in the NFL since 2019 among players with three-plus games against the Lions (Dalvin Cook, 105.8).
  • DL Rashan Gary has registered six sacks, three tackles for a loss and 11 QB hits in his last eight games against the Lions, including a three-sack performance at Detroit last season. Gary's six sacks since 2020 against Detroit are the most in the NFL over that span.
  • LB Quay Walker set career highs in tackles (19) and solo tackles (10) in the Week 4 game last season against Detroit. Walker has 49 tackles (33 solo) in five career games against the Lions.

WITH THE CALL

The game will be broadcast across the country on Amazon Prime Video. If you live in the Green Bay market, it will also air on WGBA-TV, and if you live in the Milwaukee market, it will be shown on WITI-TV.

  • Play-by-play man Al Michaels joins analyst Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung.
  • All Packers games can be heard on the Packers Radio Network, which is made up of 54 stations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois and North and South Dakota. 97.3 The Game – WRNW-Milwaukee is in its third season as the flagship station of the Packers Radio Network. For a map and full listing of radio affiliates, go to packers.com/video/radio-network. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play), two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (analyst), and three-time Packers Pro Bowler John Kuhn (sideline reporter) call the action. McCarren first joined the team's broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 30th season calling Packers games. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 26th season of broadcasts together. They surpassed Jim Irwin and Max McGee for the most regular-season and postseason games broadcast for the Packers with 313 at the 2018 season opener against Chicago.
  • The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio on channel 83 or 225 or through the app (Packers Radio Network feed).
  • Westwood One will be broadcasting on radio to a national audience with Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Ross Tucker (analyst) on the call and Scott Graham hosting pregame and halftime shows.

THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK'S OPPONENT

Packers at Lions:

  • All-time, regular season: 104-77-7
  • All-time, postseason: 2-0 (1-0 at Detroit)
  • All-time, at Detroit (regular season): 43-47-3 (13-9 at Ford Field)
  • Streaks: Green Bay and Detroit have split the last 10 regular-season matchups.
  • Last meeting, regular season: Nov. 3, 2024, Lambeau Field, Lions won, 24-14

COACHES CAPSULES

  • Matt LaFleur: 65-30-0, .684; (3-4 postseason); 6th NFL season
  • Dan Campbell: 40-34-1, .540; (2-1 postseason); 5th NFL season
  • Head to Head: LaFleur 2-5 vs. Campbell
  • vs. Opponent: LaFleur 6-5 vs. Lions; Campbell 5-2 vs. Packers

MATT LaFLEUR…In his sixth season as the Packers' 15th head coach.

  • Is in his 16th season in the NFL, having previously served as an offensive coordinator for two seasons (Los Angeles Rams, 2017; Tennessee Titans, 2018), a quarterbacks coach for six seasons (Washington Redskins, 2010-13; Atlanta Falcons, 2015-16), and an offensive assistant for two seasons (Houston Texans, 2008-09).
  • In his first five seasons leading the Packers, authored one of the greatest starts to a head-coaching career in NFL history. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, his 56 wins are tied for the second most in league history by a head coach in his first five seasons in the NFL, trailing only George Seifert (62 in 1989-93).
  • Became the first coach in NFL history to post 13-plus wins in three straight seasons and his 39 wins from 2019-21 passed Seifert (38) for the most wins by an NFL head coach in his first three seasons in the league (Elias). His 39 wins are also tied for the second most by a coach over any three-season span in league history, trailing only Andy Reid's 40 wins with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2020-22 and Mike Ditka's 40 wins with the Chicago Bears from 1985-87 (Elias).
  • In his first season leading the Packers in 2019, became the first coach in club history to lead the team to the playoffs in his debut season. Also led the largest one-year win improvement in team history (plus-seven wins).

DAN CAMPBELL…In his fourth season as the Lions' 28th head coach.

  • Has 26 years of NFL experience, including 15 years as a coach and 11 as a player. Most recently served as an assistant head coach/tight ends coach for the New Orleans Saints from 2016-2020.
  • In 2023, helped Detroit to its first-ever NFC North title and first division title since 1993. The team finished with a 12-5 record, tying the single-season franchise record for wins in a season.
  • Led Detroit to its first winning season since 2017 as the Lions finished 9-8 overall in 2022. The team finished the season ranked in the top five in the NFL in five offensive categories and also set an NFL record for sacks by rookies with 20.5.
  • Is the fifth former Lions player to be named a full-time head coach for the team and the first since Joe Schmidt, who played for Detroit from 1953-65 and served as the head coach from 1967-72.

THE PACKERS-LIONS SERIES

  • This is the 93rd consecutive season these two franchises have met, playing each other at least twice every season since 1932.
  • Green Bay's 104 regular-season wins over Detroit are the team's second-most wins over a single opponent, behind only the Packers' 107 wins over Chicago.
  • The Packers won 29 of the first 38 matchups in the series (1930-49) before the Lions reeled off 11 straight wins over a six-year span (1949-54).

NOTABLE CONNECTIONS

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is from Mount Pleasant, Mich., and played quarterback at Western Michigan (1998-99) and Saginaw Valley State (2000-02)…LaFleur later became an offensive assistant at Saginaw Valley State (2003), a graduate assistant at Central Michigan (2004-05), and a QBs/WRs coach at Northern Michigan (2006)...Packers LB Eric Wilson is from Redford, Mich., and attended Lee M. Thurston High School…Packers DL Karl Brooks is from Lansing, Mich., and attended Lansing Sexton High School…Packers DL Rashan Gary (2016-18) played collegiate football at Michigan…Packers WR Jayden Reed began his collegiate career at Western Michigan (2018) and finished it at Michigan State (2020-22)…Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich played at Michigan (2002-05) and later was a strength and conditioning intern (2011) and a graduate assistant (2012-13) for the Wolverines...Packers LBs/running game coordinator Anthony Campanile coached linebackers at Michigan in 2019…Packers DL coach Jason Rebrovich was the defensive line/head of strength and conditioning for Ferris State (Big Rapids, Mich.) in 2005-06…Packers coaching assistant Myles White began his collegiate playing career at Michigan State in 2009…Packers CB Corey Ballentine played for Detroit during the 2021 season…Packers chief of staff Darryl Franklin spent three years as a graduate assistant at Central Michigan and was a player personnel intern with the Lions in 2008...Packers RBs coach Ben Sirmans coached at Michigan State for two seasons (2005-06)...Packers DBs coach Ryan Downard played collegiate football at Eastern Michigan (2007-10) while Lions defensive assistant Jim O'Neil was the safeties coach for the Eagles (2007-08)…Lions DL Za'Darius Smith played for the Packers from 2019-21…Smith also played at Kentucky when Packers passing game coordinator (defense) Derrick Ansley was the DBs coach for the Wildcats in 2013-14…Lions G Kevin Zeitler is from Waukesha, Wis., attended Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee, Wis., and played collegiate football at Wisconsin (2008-11)…Lions QBs coach Mark Brunell was selected by the Packers in the fifth round (No. 118 overall) of the 1993 NFL Draft and spent the first two seasons of his career (1993-94) in Green Bay…Lions senior personnel executive John Dorsey spent 21 years as an executive with the Packers (1991-98, 2000-12) and also played in 76 games for the Packers from 1984-88…Lions head equipment manager Tim O'Neil spent six seasons as an equipment assistant in Green Bay (1995-2000) and is the uncle of Packers defensive assistant Sean Duggan…LaFleur was the offensive coordinator for the Rams in 2017 when Lions QB Jared Goff was on the roster and when Lions executive V.P. and general manager Brad Holmes served as the Rams' director of college scouting…LaFleur was on the Titans' coaching staff with Lions run game coordinator/DL coach Terrell Williams in 2018…Lions head coach Dan Campbell, offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp and defensive assistant/OLBs coach David Corrao were on the Dolphins' coaching staff when Packers WRs coach Ryan Mahaffey was a fullback for the team in 2012…Johnson and Sirmans coached on the same side of the ball at Boston College from 2009-11…Johnson was a player at the University of North Carolina when Packers TEs coach John Dunn was on the Tar Heels' coaching staff in 2004-07…Jim O'Neil was the defensive coordinator for the 49ers in 2016 when Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley and Packers assistant DL coach Vince Oghobaase were on San Francisco's defensive staff…Jim O'Neil was also the defensive coordinator for the Browns in 2014-15 when Hafley was the DBs coach, Downard was a defensive assistant and Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn was the assistant DBs coach for Cleveland…Jim O'Neil was on the Raiders' coaching staff in 2018-20 with Packers assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia, assistant special teams coach Byron Storer and passing game coordinator (defense) Derrick Ansley…Jim O'Neil served as the Raiders' DBs coach in 2019-20 when Packers CB Keisean Nixon played for the team…Nixon and RB Josh Jacobs were teammates with Lions CB Amik Robertson for the Raiders in 2020-21…Campanile was the LBs coach for Miami in 2023 when Lions LB David Long Jr. played for the Dolphins…Campanile was also on the coaching staff at Don Bosco Prep High School in Ramsey, N.J., when Lions Al-Quadin Muhammad was a player in 2010-11…Packers QBs coach Tom Clements (2019-20) and offensive QC coach Rob Grosso (2019-22) were on the Cardinals' coaching staff with Lions TEs coach Steve Heiden (2019-22)…Hafley was the head coach at Boston College and Oghobaase and Duggan were on his staff when Lions OL Christian Mahogany played for the Eagles in 2020-23…Packers OL coach Luke Butkus and strength and conditioning assistant Todd Hunt were on Illinois' staff in 2018 when Lions S Kerby Joseph played for the Fighting Illini…Hunt was also on the Bengals' staff when Lions DL DJ Reader was a player for Cincinnati in 2020-23…Oghobaase was a player for Duke when Lions assistant head coach/RBs coach Scottie Montgomery was the WRs coach for the Blue Devils in 2006-09…Oghobaase was a graduate assistant at Ohio State (2013-15) when Lions T Taylor Decker and assistant QBs coach J.T. Barrett played for the Buckeyes…Hafley and Duggan were on Ohio State's staff when Lions WR Jameson Williams played for the Buckeyes in 2019…Lions assistant LBs coach Shaun Dion Hamilton was teammates with Packers S Xavier McKinney and Jacobs at Alabama…Packers DL T.J. Slaton and Lions DL James Houston were teammates at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla., and at Florida (2017-20)…Former college teammates: Packers DL Lukas Van Ness, Lions LB Jack Campbell and TE Sam LaPorta (Iowa); Packers CB Carrington Valentine and Lions DL Josh Paschal (Kentucky); Packers C/G Josh Myers and Williams (Ohio State).

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