Indianapolis — Outside the confines of a news conference for the general NFL media gathered at the NFL Combine, Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst managed to rachet up the rivalry with the current kings of the NFC North Division, the Detroit Lions, during a side session with Packers reporters.
After years of Packers dominance, with the Vikings and Bears occasionally rising to the top of the standings, the Lions finally broke through to win their first division crown since the league realigned its conferences in 2002. That accomplishment was a stated preseason goal for the franchise, leading to the first two home games in Ford Field's history.