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Detroit Lions' Division Title Hopes Get Support From Former Cowboys Star Dez Bryant

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Nick Meyer | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 2:43 PM ET

The Detroit Lions are one of the favorites to win the NFC North Division this season, but their title hopes became cloudier in recent days as the Green Bay Packers traded for one of the league's best defensive players, rush linebacker Micah Parsons of Dallas.

Following the trade a former Lions quarterback, Dan Orlovsky, took to ESPN's popular First Take show to unveil his new pick for the division title: the Packers.

Orlovsky is suddenly bullish on coach Matt LaFleur's team, giving them a three-year window to potentially win the Super Bowl and picking them to make the NFC Championship Game.

He also called the Cowboys the biggest threat to Philadelphia, the defending Super Bowl Champions, in the NFC.

Following Orlovsky's pick, a former Cowboys superstar receiver sent a message to the ESPN host in defense of the Lions.

"Idk (I don't know) Dan Orlovsky Detroit is still Detroit," former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant tweeted at the former Lions QB, reminding him of another potentially strong team in the division.

Orlovsky doubled down on his pick of the Packers in response.

"Still very good," Orlovsky said about the Lions.

"(Picking) Green Bay here," he added.

Still very good

Green Bay here
— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) August 29, 2025

Lions Have Dominated Packers in Recent Years

The Packers lead the all-time series against the Lions by a tally of 106-78-7, but it's been a different story since Lions head coach Dan Campbell arrived in Motown.

Detroit has won six of its last seven games against the Packers and returns the core of its back-to-back NFC North championship teams.

The Lions lost star center Frank Ragnow this season, an area the Packers could exploit in the two teams' Week 1 matchup at Lambeau Field.

Parsons, Hutchinson Additions a Wash

The Packers' addition of Parsons is negated by the Lions getting Aidan Hutchinson back on the defensive line in a sense.

Hutchinson looked like a shoo-in for Defensive Player of the Year last season, having led the NFL in sacks for quite some time even after suffering a leg injury against the Cowboys in Dallas that knocked him out for the season.

The Packers will be stronger on defense, but so will the Lions, who also added DJ Reed at cornerback and Tyleik Williams at defensive tackle.

September 7 will say a lot about whether Orlovsky or Bryant's thought processes are more correct on the NFC North.

The Lions suddenly have plenty of competition in the division, but that hasn't stopped them from owning it, and the Packers, in recent seasons.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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