Lions-Packers Key Matchup: Penei Sewell vs. Micah Parsons

Sewell, a first-team All-Pro selection for a second straight season in 2024, allowed just one sack on 618 pass-blocking snaps, and earned an 87.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus last season. The aforementioned PFF grade was good for the fourth-best mark among 140 qualified tackles a season ago.  

Still, there’s no denying the fact that Sewell, who has consistently graded out as a more efficient run-blocker than pass-protector, will have his hands full with Parsons. 

In case you were wondering, the 2021 first-round pick’s pass-blocking grade of 74.1 last season ranked 39th among all tackles. Additionally, the Oregon product allowed 28 total pressures, placing him in the bottom-half of the league in the category.

Yet, Sewell doesn’t have to be perfect against the All-Pro. He just has to keep the game-changing pass-rusher in check, and if he does, it will go a long way toward Detroit securing the season-opening victory. 

At this present juncture, I’m willing to predict that Parsons ends up with a single sack of Lions signal-caller Jared Goff Sunday. 

On a separate note, it’s also paramount that the interior of the Lions’ offensive line – featuring two new starters (left guard Christian Mahogany and right guard Tate Ratledge) – comes ready to play. The middle of the line will also feature a new anchor in veteran Graham Glasgow, who takes over for Frank Ragnow as the team’s starting center.

The trio of Detroit linemen will be tasked with containing a Green Bay interior that no longer features defensive tackle Kenny Clark, who was dealt to Dallas as part of the Parsons trade. 

Losing Clark, who had a down year for himself in 2024, has the potential to become a significant blow for a Packers team that is lacking steady contributors among the interior of its line.  

Without Clark, fourth-year pro Devonte Wyatt, who has recorded at least five sacks each of the last two seasons, is the best defender for Green Bay up front. He’ll be flanked by third-year lineman Colby Wooden, who has just one start and half a sack to his name through two NFL seasons. 

Although inexperienced, I believe that Mahogany and Ratledge will be able to handle their own against Wyatt and Wooden and the rest of the Packers’ rotation of interior defensive linemen.