Packers vs. Lions Pick
Will the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers put on an offensive showcase when the two NFC North rivals meet up on Sunday at 1PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Detroit is the favorite at home in this game, as the Lions are getting odds of -6.5 points against the Packers. The over/under total for the game has been set at 43.5 points. Green Bay has won three of their last four meetings with the Lions and the two have hit the over in four straight encounters. The public betting in this game has 62 percent of the wagers going on the Packers on the road. Sunday’s game takes place from Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and will air live on FOX.
The Lions saw their playoff hopes dashed last weekend in a bad 26-17 loss at Cincinnati to fall to 8-7 on the season. Detroit already owns a 30-17 win at Green Bay earlier this year and have hit the over in nine of their 15 games in 2017. The Lions are giving up 24.3 points and 374.9 yards per game on defense, including 261.8 passing yards per game. Offensively, Detroit is putting up 25 points and 354.5 yards per contest. Matthew Stafford has thrown for 4,123 yards and 26 touchdowns with 10 interceptions despite an injury-plagued line and one of the worst rushing attacks in the NFL. Marvin Jones Jr. has caught 57 passes for 1,020 yards and eight touchdowns.
Green Bay has dropped its last two games to fall to 7-8 on the season and the Packers are out of the playoffs for the first time since 2008. They come into Sunday 10-5 with the over, hitting it in four of their last five games. However, they have also been shutout in two of their last six. Aaron Rodgers has missed most of the season with a broken collarbone so the offense averages just 20.6 points and 330.7 yards per game. Brett Hundley has thrown for 1,664 yards with eight touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his place. He will be without Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson on Sunday due to injuries. Defensively, Green Bay is giving up 23.3 points and 364 yards per game. Clay Matthews has a team-high 7.5 sacks, but he is questionable with a hamstring injury.
I think this game should have plenty of big plays. The Detroit offense is stronger at home and facing a lackluster Green Bay defense that it has already scored 30 points on before. The Packers are banged up on offense at skill positions, but Hundley is going to be trying to throw all over this Detroit secondary. Green Bay could also have some success on the ground against a thin Detroit defensive line.
NFL WEEK 17 PREDICTION: PACKERS/LIONS OVER 43.5
