The NFC North is a collective of juggernauts, with three completely different groups getting into Week 14 with a minimum of 9 wins, all of them on monitor to achieve the playoffs. On Thursday evening, two of them will sq. off in a prime-time showdown that would shake up your complete divisional race, with the Detroit Lions resulting from play host to the Green Bay Packers one month after the 2 clashed at Lambeau Field.
At 11-1, Detroit is in pole place to say this 12 months’s high seed within the NFC playoff image, boasting the top-scoring offense in soccer. The Packers are not any slouches, nevertheless, profitable seven of their final eight due to their very own top-five assault, plus an opportunistic protection that ranks fifth in takeaways. With a win Thursday, Green Bay would advance to 10-3, pulling inside a half-game of the rival Minnesota Vikings.
The Lions received one of the best of this matchup in November, when Jared Goff and Co. weathered the Wisconsin chilly to say a 24-14 choice. Can Love pull off his personal highway victory? Either approach, this one’s must-see materials. So how will you tune in? Which gamers may very well be X components? And who’s primed to stroll away with the essential win? Here’s our preview and sports activities betting prediction:
Lions vs. Packers the place to look at
Date: Thursday, Dec. 5 | Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
Location: Ford Field (Detroit)
Stream: Prime Video
Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds: Lions -3.5, O/U 51.5 (FanDuel Sportsbook)
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Key matchups
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- Lions RB David Montgomery vs. Packers LB Eric Wilson: Second-year speedster Jahmyr Gibbs is the house run hitter of Detroit’s backfield, however Montgomery is the tone-setter, main the membership with 47 first downs on the bottom. With rookie Edgerrin Cooper banged up on the coronary heart of Green Bay’s linebacker corps, Wilson has stepped up with seven tackles for loss on the season. He may very well be mainly answerable for plugging the gaps to comprise Detroit’s fourth-ranked dashing assault.
- Packers WR Christian Watson vs. Lions CB Terrion Arnold: While Jayden Reed headlines the Packers’ deep receiving corps, Watson is the unit’s high field-stretcher, averaging greater than 30 yards per reception in a few current big-play breakouts. Arnold, in the meantime, continues to be getting acclimated as an NFL cowl man, recent off a return from damage. Their matchup on the skin might assist decide how a lot Jordan Love truly airs it out below the lights.
- Lions WR Jameson Williams vs. Packers CB Keisean Nixon: If Watson is the Packers’ big-play menace out large, then Williams serves an identical goal in Detroit, providing electrifying downfield juice to Amon-Ra St. Brown’s high-volume work. After back-to-back video games with comparatively quiet numbers, he might have an opportunity to interrupt out towards Nixon, who’s in his first 12 months working closely on the skin however has stayed across the ball with 4 go breakups and 4 tackles for loss.
Burning questions
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- Lions: Can Detroit management the ball? The Lions are a machine on offense, however their manufacturing dips considerably in the event that they flip the ball over simply as soon as; they’re averaging simply 23.7 factors per sport after they lose possession versus a whopping 40.2 when they’re turnover-free. The Packers, in the meantime, are ballhawks, with 23 takeaways on the 12 months. If Goff is below extra stress resulting from an damage to left deal with Taylor Decker, Green Bay may very well be even higher positioned to pry one free.
- Packers: Can they make the most of Detroit’s secondary? Their final time collectively, Love accomplished simply 59% of his throws, failing to achieve the top zone by way of the air. While the Lions are a top-two scoring protection, they give up the eighth-most passing yards of any crew, and veteran nook Carlton Davis is about to play by way of damage on the perimeter. Even with accidents of their very own up entrance, the Packers ought to be capable of push the ball downfield. The problem shall be parlaying that into factors.
Prediction
For a number of stretches this season, the Lions have seemed just like the closest factor to an unbeatable contender. That was actually the case the final time these rivals met, when Goff shed the notion he cannot win big-time matchups away from the comfy confines of Ford Field. This time, Detroit ought to profit much more from internet hosting by itself turf, particularly towards a Packers entrance that ranks simply twenty fifth in stress price. We’d count on Matt LaFleur’s offense to make extra noise, even with the O-line battling accidents, however on condition that each golf equipment are coming off post-Thanksgiving relaxation, the across-the-board edge nonetheless goes to Motown. Don’t be surprised if this child comes right down to a Jake Bates discipline objective.
Pick: Lions 27, Packers 26
Bonus: SportsLine guru R.J. White, who’s on a 73-31-2 roll on Packers video games, has launched his finest bets for the Week 14 Packers vs. Lions “TNF” matchup. White is leaning Over on the full, however who’s he backing to cowl? Find out proper right here at SportsLine.
