Packers vs Lions Predictions: Packers can prevail against depleted Detroit

The Green Bay Packers take on the Detroit Lions in a pivotal NFC North divisional match-up this week at Ford Field, which will be shown live on Sky Sports NFL from 01:15 UK time.

Below you can find my Packers vs Lions predictions, complete with all the latest team news and match odds.

Victory for the 9-3 Packers is a must if they are to overthrow the 11-1 Lions at the top of the division.

Green Bay have won seven of their last eight games, with the only blemish on their record since September being a 24-14 loss to Detroit at Lambeau Field.

The Lions are riding a 10-game winning streak that has seen them installed as the favourites to win Super Bowl LIX.

But they know a slip-up in the regular season's final weeks could allow the Philadelphia Eagles or Minnesota Vikings - who have built 10-2 records - to snatch away the NFC’s No.1 seeding and a first-round play-off bye.

Team News

The Lions paid a high price for their 23-20 Thanksgiving Day victory over the Chicago Bears as yet more players left with issues that look set to keep them out of action this week.

Injuries to defensive end Josh Paschal (knee) and defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) have hit a group already smarting from the loss of Aidan Hutchinson (broken leg).

Offensive tackle Taylor Decker, who missed the Bears game with a knee injury from the previous Sunday, and DT D.J. Reader, who appeared to suffer a shoulder injury on Thanksgiving Day, are also probably out.

Malcolm Rodriguez has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL and fellow linebacker Alex Anzalone remains out with a broken forearm, but cornerback Emmanuel Moseley should return after missing last week’s game with a hamstring problem.

NFL Odds

The Packers are expected to get two key players back for this trip to Detroit with wide receiver Romeo Doubs, who missed Green Bay’s Week 13 win against the Miami Dolphins on Thanksgiving with a concussion, and cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) set to return.

Packers vs Lions Odds

The Lions are 8/15 favourites on the Money Line, giving them an implied win probability of 65.2%, while the Packers are priced at 6/4 to pick up the win.

The handicap is currently set at 3.5, with Green Bay (+3.5) at 4/5 and Detroit (-3.5) slightly larger at 1/1.

Money Line - Packers @ 6/4

Detroit’s ability to keep on churning out wins despite a growing list of injuries has been admirable, but their latest losses could be too much to overcome against an improving force like the Packers.

The absences of Rodriguez and Anzalone from the linebacking corps will hit Detroit hard this week with little time to integrate replacement Kwon Alexander, signed off the Denver Broncos’ practice squad, into their scheme.

Guys have been stepping up on the defensive line, with Reader having his best game as a Lion last week when recording a season-high seven quarterback pressures including two sacks.

However, he now looks likely to be out of this week’s game too. Generating consistent pressure up front has been one of the ways Detroit’s defense has limited their opponent’s ability to make big passing plays.

But Green Bay QB Jordan Love has been heating up these past three weeks when he has been rated among the NFL’s top three passers.

And he has the tools to attack the Lions’ secondary this week with Doubs back and Jayden Reed coming off a two-touchdown display against Miami.

Josh Jacobs remains a threat on the ground and an improving Packers run defence, which ranks seventh in the league for opponent yards per carry, can surprise the Lions’ vaunted rush attack of Jamayr Gibbs and David Montgomery.

Green Bay are 9-2 in the month of December since 2021 and appear to be coming to the boil again just when injuries may derail Detroit’s bid to post their best-ever regular season record.

Packers Anytime Touchdown Scorer - Tucker Kraft @ 21/10

Kraft has scored six touchdowns in his last nine games for Green Bay and should figure prominently in the Packers’ gameplan this week.

The tight end was targeted seven times by Love on Thanksgiving Day and came up with six catches for 78 yards against the Dolphins.

The changes in personnel on Detroit’s defense are likely to have a major impact on their ability to cover Kraft, who loves to lower his head and gain extra yards after the catch.

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