The Detroit Lions failed to live up to expectations last season and were forced to go back to the drawing board over the offseason to address some areas of concern. Although they swept the Chicago Bears, the Lions struggled against the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers, losing all four meetings against their NFC North rivals.
The pair of losses to the Packers came after Green Bay made the shocking preseason trade for star pass-rusher Micah Parsons. His impact was felt immediately, and the Lions simply had no answer for the former Dallas Cowboy, who had one sack in the Week 1 meeting and 2.5 sacks when the teams squared off again on Thanksgiving Day.
However, Parsons' 2025 season was cut short after suffering a torn ACL in the Week 15 game against the Denver Broncos. That injury has created some headaches for the Packers, who had previously revealed that Parsons would likely miss the first three or four games of the season as he recovers.
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport confirmed on Wednesday that Parsons will "begin the 2026 season on the PUP list, offering a target of mid-October until he's on the field." That came as ESPN Packers reporter Rob Demovsky noted that "Parsons said he has four more months to go, saying that they have a strict nine-month rule especially for players who had more than just the ACL tear, revealing that he also had a meniscus procedure."
Lions could have a golden opportunity in front of them in Week 7 vs. Packers
The Lions will face the Packers for the first time in 2026 in Week 7 on Oct. 25. While a potential return by mid-October could be in the cards for Parsons, there is also a possibility that Green Bay gives him the time necessary for him to get fully healthy. That could open the door for the Lions to get some revenge from last season and get back in the win column against their rivals.
This will be the third consecutive season that there is a lot of hype surrounding the Lions, putting Detroit in an uncomfortable position after falling short of those massive expectations each of the last two campaigns. With that said, they moved on from offensive coordinator John Morton and brought in a solid draft class, including fifth-round pick Keith Abney II out of Arizona State.
As someone who plays much bigger than his size, Abney could be poised to make an immediate impact in a secondary that lost Amik Robertson to the Washington Commanders in free agency.
Granted, the Lions may not have rookies who can make a difference overnight, but the addition of Blake Miller, who could be a suitable replacement in due time for former Pro Bowler Taylor Decker, is a sign of the talent coming in and why Detroit could be built for success for years to come if the talent translates to the field.
Despite losing running back David Montgomery in a trade to the Houston Texans, this Lions offense is plenty capable of holding its own. Throw in the fact that Parsons could be out when the two teams meet in Week 7, as well as a favorable schedule up to that point, and it is possible that Detroit has one of the best records in the league when that game rolls around.
Aside from Parsons, Rashan Gary had the second-most sacks for the Packers with 7.5 last season. He is no longer on the team after getting traded to the Cowboys, while Quay Walker is now with the Las Vegas Raiders after a 2.5-sack season.
Bottom line, this looks like a much more favorable matchup with Parsons' status up in the air until then, and the fact that he may not play the entire game at that point as he gets back up to speed on the field.
Of course, this is still a Packers team that returns a lot of talent following a wild-card exit in the 2025 season. It will not be an easy task in a division rivalry game, but if Parsons is still not 100% or unable to suit up altogether when Week 7 arrives, the Lions will be licking their chops at a prime opportunity.
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