The Detroit Lions (11-1) play host to their NFC North rivals, the Green Bay Packers (9-3). Detroit won the Week 9 matchup in Green Bay 24-14. Our Packers vs Lions prediction is that Green Bay will win the game outright.
Both teams have had a week’s rest after victories on Thanksgiving.
The Detroit-Green Bay rivalry dates back to 1930 when the Lions spent their first four years in the NFL as the Plymouth Spartans. Head-to-head, the Packers lead with a record of 106-77-7.
Offshore Odds: Detroit Favored by 3.5 at Home
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | +3.5 (-116) | +155 | O 51 (-115) |
| Lions | -3.5 (-104) | -175 | U 51 (-105) |
Green Bay’s Division Title Chances Are Fading
The three top teams in the NFC North — Detroit, Minnesota, and Green Bay — can make convincing arguments for a Super Bowl run. Unfortunately for the Packers, they are in third place and two of their three losses came to Detroit and Minnesota.
They will likely need to play a road Wild Card game.
A tweet by Lions’ running back Jahmyr Gibbs adds a wrinkle to this game. He posted a photo of himself in front of a whiteboard with the Lions’ protection schemes.
Packers head coach Matt LaFleur shrugged it off, but the Packers will break it down, just in case.
Despite the relative closeness of the earlier game, it was not particularly competitive.
Jared Goff outplayed Jordan Love and Detroit controlled Green Bay’s rushing attack. Goff targeted Amon-Ra St. Brown seven times and completed every pass. The Packers cannot let that happen again.
Detroit is ranked 25th in the league in passing yards allowed per game. Their defense is beaten up and they signed veteran Jamal Adams this week.
A Classic Trap Game for Detroit
The Lions are riding high and are garnering an “unstoppable” reputation. They are doing two things to justify that perception: Burying teams when they get a lead and winning games they should probably lose.
Independent of that, their matchup with Green Bay is a classic trap game. In the last month, they should have lost to Houston and Chicago, but won anyway. Green Bay will not fold like those two teams did.
Records aside, the teams are evenly matched. Detroit must force Green Bay to abandon its running game with Josh Jacobs. If they cannot stop the run, Love will systematically pick them apart through the air.
The leaked protections are not a big deal, but head coach Dan Campbell’s “Who cares?” bluster aside, it gives the Lions something else to address — something they otherwise would not have needed to think about.
Packers vs Lions Prediction: Green Bay Will Upset Detroit
The Packers corralled the Lions’ passing attack in Week 9. Houston intercepted Goff five times. Indianapolis held them to 253 passing yards. If Green Bay forces Goff into turnovers and manages to contain St. Brown, Gibbs, and Montgomery, they will win.
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