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Where to watch Packers vs. Lions: How big of an impact will Micah Parsons have in Green Bay debut?

Green Bay stunned the entire NFL by acquiring All-Pro edge rusher Micah Parsons in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for defensive tackle Kenny Clark and two first-round picks. Parsons will help the Packers defense do battle against a Lions offense that led the league in scoring offense (33.2 points per game, best in franchise history). However, Detroit will be working through some changes too with both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, now the coach of the Chicago Bears, and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, now the coach of the New York Jets, no longer on the Lions' sideline. 

Let's dig into this matchup and predict a winner ahead of Sunday afternoon's NFC North showdown.

Where to watch Lions vs. Packers

When the Lions have the ball

Parsons teams up with a Packers defense that produced a top 10 scoring unit (19.9 points per game allowed, sixth in NFL) in its first season under defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley in 2024. The 26-year-old, who leads the NFL in quarterback pressure rate (20.3%, minimum 1,000 pass rushes), co-leads the league in quarterback pressures (330, tied with Maxx Crosby) and has 12 or more sacks in each of his first four seasons, is the NFL's best at getting after the quarterback.

Fortunately for Detroit quarterback Jared Goff, he has one of the better offensive lines in the NFL led by two-time first-team All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell. According to CBS Sports Research, Sewell is the only offensive tackle to start every game and allow one or fewer sacks across each of the last two years. He's allowed just two sacks, one each year, on 1,242 pass-blocking snaps.

Parsons and Packers Pro Bowl edge rusher Rashan Gary will look to wreak havoc on Goff and Co. all afternoon long, but in order to do that on clear passing downs, they'll need to slow down the NFL's most productive running duo: Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. They're the first duo in NFL history with 10 or more rushing touchdowns each in consecutive seasons.

When the Packers have the ball

The Lions will welcome back a healthy Aidan Hutchinson, their Pro Bowl edge rusher who led the NFL in sacks (7.5) and quarterback pressures (45) through Week 6 (when he broke his tibia and fibula). The Packers will also look to keep quarterback Jordan Love healthy throughout 2025: he suffered a sprained MCL in Week 1 last season that he was never quite able to shake off. Love did undergo left thumb surgery in August, but he has fully practiced all week this week.

Green Bay drafted a wide receiver in the first round for the first time since 2022 by selecting Texas' Matthew Golden 23rd overall in April. The Packers hope Golden can help create more big plays downfield because those have been lacking from Green Bay receivers in Love's first two seasons as Aaron Rodgers' successor. Love averages 8.0 yards per pass attempt to wide receivers, 21st in the NFL since 2023 and 7.3 yards per pass attempt to running backs and tight ends, fourth in the NFL across the last two seasons. Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs will also certainly factor into the game plan heavily: his 1,329 yards rushing were the most by a Packer since Ahman Green in 2003, and his 15 rushing touchdowns were tied for the third-most in a season in Green Bay history.

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Raiders Reunite with a Former Starter to Fortify the Offensive Line
Las Vegas, NV   The Las Vegas Raiders have brought back a familiar face in a move that screams both urgency and savvy: versatile offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor is returning to the Silver & Black on a one-year deal (terms not disclosed), reuniting with the franchise where he logged some of the best football of his career and immediately fortifying a position group that has been stretched thin. Eluemunor, 31, started for the Raiders from 2021–2023, showing rare position flexibility across right tackle and guard while anchoring pass protection against premier edge rushers. His technique, anchor, and ability to handle long-arm power made him a steadying force during multiple playoff pushes. After departing Vegas, Eluemunor spent time elsewhere refining his craft, but a confluence of roster needs and scheme familiarity has set the stage for a timely homecoming. For the Raiders—fighting to keep pace in a rugged AFC—this is about stability and fit. Injuries and week-to-week availability on the right side of the line have forced constant shuffling; protection packages have leaned heavily on chips and condensed splits to survive obvious passing downs. Eluemunor’s return allows the staff to plug him at RT or slide him inside at RG, restoring balance to protections and widening the run-game menu (duo, inside zone, and the toss/ pin-pull that Vegas fans love when the edge is sealed). “Jermaine knows who we are and how we want to play,” a team source said. “He brings ballast. Assignment sound, physical, and smart—he raises the floor for the entire unit.” Beyond the X’s and O’s, there’s an unmistakable emotional charge to this reunion. Eluemunor was a locker-room favorite in his previous stint—professional, detail-driven, and accountable. The belief internally is that his presence stabilizes communication on the right side (IDs, slides, and pass-off rules vs. games and simulated pressures), which in turn unlocks more vertical concepts and keeps the quarterback cleaner late in games. On social media, Raider Nation lit up the timeline with a simple refrain: “Welcome back, Jem.” Many fans called the deal the exact kind of “rival-poach, ready-to-play” move a contender makes in October: low friction, high impact, zero learning curve. What it means on the field (immediately): Pass pro: Fewer emergency chips, more five-out releases—OC can re-open deeper intermediate shots without living in max-protect. Run game: Better edge control on toss/duo; more confidence running to the right on money downs. Depth & versatility: One injury doesn’t force a cascade of position changes; Eluemunor can cover two spots with starting-level competency. The timetable? Swift. Because Eluemunor already speaks the language—terminology, splits, cadence rules—he could suit up as early as this weekend if the medicals/check-ins continue to trend positive. The message is clear: the Raiders aren’t waiting around for the line to gel—they’re engineering it. If Jermaine Eluemunor plays to his Raider résumé, this reunion could be the precise mid-season jolt that steadies the offense and keeps the Silver & Black firmly in the postseason race. Raider Nation, the question writes itself: Plug-and-play stopgap—or the catalyst that reclaims the right side