Bills secure AFC East, Ravens continue with self-inflicted wounds
Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the top storylines from Week 13 in the NFL.
Sports Seriously
The NFL offers up one of the best matchups of the season Thursday night when the Green Bay Packers travel to play the NFC-leading Detroit Lions.
The teams come in a combined 20-4, with the 11-1 Detroit Lions on a 10-game winning streak and the 9-3 Packers have won seven of their last eight.
The Packers need a win to keep realistic NFC North championship hopes alive, while Detroit is trying to maintain its one game leader over Philadelphia for home field and the first-round bye.
Detroit is favored by 3 1/2 points, slightly more than their home field advantage. Interestingly, both teams come into this Thursday night game on full rest, as both played on Thanksgiving Day.
Who plays tonight on Thursday Night Football?
The NFL Week 14 Thursday Night Football game between the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions will be played at Ford Field in Detroit.
How to watch Thursday Night Football tonight?
The Packers at Lions game will be streamed on Amazon Prime.
Thursday Night Football announcers
Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit will call the game from the Ford Field booth, and Kaylee Hartung will report from the sidelines.
Who will win on Thursday Night Football?
The Lions are 3 1/2-point home favorites over the Packers in NFL Week 14 odds for the game, courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Both teams are is -110 on the moneyline. The over/under is set at 51 1/2 points.
Packers at Lions injury report
Green Bay Packers
Receiver Romeo Doubs is in concussion protocol and is questionable, but trending toward playing. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (hamstring) and cornerback Corey Ballentine (knee) are questionable.
Detroit Lions
Left tackle Taylor Decker is questionable with a knee injury. Defensive ends Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) and Josh Paschal (knee) are doubful. The Lions have 18 players on the injured reserve, most notably linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and end Aiden Hutchinson.
Packers at Lions predictions
The line: Lions 28, Packers 24
With a line of 3 1/2 points and an over-under of 51 1/2, the expected result is a Lions victory of 28-24 or 27-24.
Sportsnaut: Packers 31, Lions 30
Matt Johnson writes: “The Detroit Lions are the best team in the NFL and they’ve already proven they can beat the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field earlier this season. However, the mounting injuries on defense for Detroit – Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal, Emmanuel Moseley, Carlton Davis III, Malcolm Rodriguez, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Alex Anzalone – put this team in a big hole. It’s certainly possible Jared Goff and the best offense in the NFL can lead the Lions to victory. However, if the Lions injury report for Week 14 doesn’t get better, Green Bay can win this Thursday Night Football battle.”
Sports Betting Dime: Lions 26.9, Packers 18.7
The site’s formula predicts that the Lions will win the NFL Week 14 game against the Packers.
ESPN: Lions have a 58.9% chance to beat Packers on Thursday Night Football
The site gives the Packers a 40.8% shot at winning the NFL Week 14 game, with a 0.3% chance of a tie.
Dimers: Lions 26, Packers 23
It writes: “After extensive simulations, our model gives the Packers a win probability of 39%, while the Lions have a win probability of 61%.”
Bookies.com: Bet the under in Packers vs. Lions game
Bill Speros writes: “The Lions (11-1, 5-1 at home) will clinch home field and a first-round bye in the NFC if they win the rest of the way. But the Eagles continue to hover, just one game back in the NFC. Both the Lions and Packers are coming off the mini-bye. The Lions beat Chicago, and cost Matt Eberflus his job, on Thanksgiving. The Packers froze the Fish in Green Bay on Black Friday. The crowd at Ford Field will be hysterical and lubricated before this one kicks. The Lions beat Green Bay 24-14 at Lambeau Field in Week 9. Neither team has lost since. Jordan Love and the Packers will do their best to hang with Jared Goff’s flying circus. And Dan Campbell’s claws-first defense. Detroit ran for 194 yards agains the Bears on Thanksgiving but only scored once in the second half. The Packers are giving up just 20 PPG. And they have the book on Detroit. Thus, the tighter-than-expected line here. Even indoors, both defenses will keep in close. And both offenses will keep it on the ground.”
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on X.
