The Detroit Lions (7–4) welcome the Green Bay Packers (7–3–1) to Ford Field for the annual Thanksgiving showdown, a game that could influence both the playoff picture and the long-term balance of power in the NFC North.
Detroit’s season began with a sloppy loss in Green Bay, and preventing a season sweep is critical as the Lions push toward the postseason. With that in mind, here are three major storylines to watch.
1. Can Jahmyr Gibbs stay scorching hot after Green Bay shut him down in Week 1?
Jahmyr Gibbs enters Thanksgiving playing the best football of his young career. Against the Giants, he delivered one of the most productive games any Lions running back has ever had — 264 yards from scrimmage, three touchdowns and the walk-off score in overtime.
Since Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties three weeks ago, Gibbs has erupted for 582 total yards — nearly 200 per game — while becoming the centerpiece of the offense.
That’s a stark contrast to his first meeting with the Packers. In Week 1, he managed just 19 rushing yards on nine carries and set an unusual NFL record: 10 catches for only 31 receiving yards, the lowest yardage total ever recorded on double-digit receptions.
Detroit believes the ingredients for a much better day are finally in place. Communication issues along the offensive line have largely been cleaned up, and Campbell has been designing the offense around Gibbs’ versatility. Green Bay’s defense forces opponents to throw short and rely on checkdowns, which aligns well with Gibbs’ growth as a pass catcher — 19 receptions, 182 yards and two receiving touchdowns over the last three games.
Quarterback Jared Goff acknowledged how heavily he’s been leaning on his young running back.
“He’s getting a lot better with his routes,” Goff said after Sunday’s win. “His hands are great, and he’s becoming a reliable option out of the backfield. There were a couple plays where I probably leaned on him a little too much, but when a guy is rolling, you get him the ball.”
2. What changes are the Lions making on offense after struggling so badly in the first matchup?
Detroit’s message this week has been clear: stay patient and squeeze more production out of short throws.
The Lions produced 126 yards after the catch in the opener, with Sam LaPorta accounting for nearly 40% of that total. LaPorta, now on injured reserve, won’t be available to replicate that effort. Meanwhile, Jameson Williams generated only eight YAC yards in Week 1, and Amon-Ra St. Brown managed just six. Those numbers must improve.
Williams didn’t catch a pass last week — the second time he’s been shut out this season — while St. Brown exploded for 149 yards, including 54 after the catch.
Campbell emphasized that losing patience is exactly what Green Bay wants from an opponent.
“The teams that get into trouble are the ones that try to force big plays,” Campbell said. “That’s when the turnovers start piling up — strip-sacks, interceptions, fumbles. You have to stick with the plan, wait for your opportunity, and make plays after the catch.”
Detroit already plays a conservative passing game. No team throws deep less often; only 6.8% of Goff’s attempts travel more than 20 yards downfield. Expect another game built on short throws and YAC on Thanksgiving.
3. After last week’s defensive struggles, how prepared is Detroit to slow down Jordan Love and the Packers?
The Lions are coming off their first game of the season in which they allowed a 300-yard passer — an uncharacteristically shaky outing from the secondary. Now they face Jordan Love and a group of young receivers who gave Detroit problems back in Week 1 despite Love throwing for
