The Detroit Lions recorded arguably their biggest win of the 2026 season on Sunday, defeating the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers, 20-17.

It was a gritty performance from Dan Campbell's squad which did not play its cleanest game, but still did enough right in order to secure the Week 7 victory.

For starters, Kelvin Sheppard's defense, aided by the return of Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch, stepped up big time in the divisional affair. 

It limited Green Bay signal-caller Jordan Love to under 300 yards passing and kept the Packers’ pass-catching duo of Christian Watson and Matthew Golden in check. Both receivers were held under 60 yards and out of the end zone. 

Plus, the Lions’ run defense delivered a strong effort, holding Green Bay to just 60 total yards on the ground on 19 carries (3.2 yards/carry).

And Branch had his fingerprints all over the standout performance from Sheppard's unit. 

In his first taste of action since tearing his Achilles in Week 14 of the 2025 season against the Dallas Cowboys, the defensive back made his presence known.

He logged four total tackles and a pass defensed, and came through with a crucial interception of Love to start the fourth quarter. It wasn't an easy pick to come up with, either.

On the play (third-and-21), the Packers were backed up deep in Lions territory and Love decided to heave the football. It landed past the 50-yard line, where Branch high-pointed the ball and grabbed it out of the air, beating Watson for the 50/50 ball.

BRIAN BRANCH IS BACK

GBvsDET on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/F1Pa2vK3fI

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026

It was a prime example of Branch's next-level athleticism and the immense impact he can make in the back-end of Detroit's defensive backfield.

“You go through an injury like that; the amount of rehab and things that go into all of that to get back to where you're ready to play at a high level in the NFL," Lions head man Dan Campbell said of Branch after the game. "You get back to some of what you are, and he's not even fully back yet as far as just the rust. Every rep he takes he's going to get better and better. It's not an easy road. That was a huge play. Everybody loves (Branch) because he's a great teammate and a productive football player. He can just find the ball.”

Campbell & Co. direly missed the Alabama product, and there's no question he played an integral role in the Lions securing the win in the divisional tilt.

Undoubtedly, the defense is leaps and bounds better with Branch healthy.

On Sunday, it also became evident that Cade Mays was not quite ready to anchor the line.

Playing in his first game since being acquired by Detroit this offseason, Mays had a hand in two turnovers: a Jahmyr Gibbs fumble to close the first half and a botched snap in the opening seconds of the second half. 

Meanwhile, on a positive note, it became apparent the Lions’ offense can afford to be less than perfect every so often.

Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing's unit was just good enough against Green Bay, and that was more than fine in the Week 7 divisional clash. 

Veteran signal-caller Jared Goff threw a ball or two that could have been picked, and the ever explosive Jahmyr Gibbs was contained fairly well by the Packers for most of the game. Yet, it didn't matter on Sunday. 

Goff still came through with big-time throws to the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams when it counted the most, and Gibbs ran out the clock in the fourth quarter, setting up Jake Bates for the game-winning field goal as time expired.

Refreshingly, in the Week 7 contest, the Lions’ offense did not have to lead the way and score 30-plus points in order to get into the win column. Instead, the defense took on the protagonist role, allowing Petzing's unit to take a much-deserved backseat.

It was a perfect example of the complementary football that Campbell often preaches about – a winning brand of football that the best teams play on a consistent basis.

And if the Lions want to rise to the top of the NFC, they'll need to play a lot more of that type of football moving forward, including in Week 8 against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings.

Simply, it's the only way Detroit will be able to make a Super Bowl run in 2026.