The top team in the NFC North meets up with the worst team when the Green Bay Packers (9-3, 4-2 away) clash with the Detroit Tigers (5-7, 1-4 home) in Week 14 of NFL play. Green Bay thumped Detroit, 42-21 early on in the season back in Week 2. Kickoff is at 4:25 p.m. EST inside Ford Field in Detroit, MI. Green Bay is an 8.5-point favorite in the divisional tilt.
What to Know – Green Bay Packers
Green Bay has been playing superb football winning four of their last five contests by an average of almost 13 points. A win Sunday paired with a Minnesota Vikings loss would secure the NFC North for the Packers.
Aaron Rodgers continues to add to his Hall of Fame resume in 2020, accounting for 3,395 yards through the air, and 36 touchdown passes. Rodgers completed 25-of-34 passes for 295 yards and 3 touchdowns in last week’s win over the Philadelphia Eagles. His third touchdown pass was his 400th of his career.
Running back Aaron Jones carried the ball 15 times for a season-high 130 yards rushing and one touchdown. Jones added three catches on three targets for 18 yards.
The case for Davante Adams as the best wide receiver in the NFL was strengthened with ten receptions for 121 yards and a pair of touchdown catches. Adams has hauled in 13 touchdowns this season and scored in all but two games he has played in.
What to Know – Detroit Lions
Following a Thanksgiving blowout loss at home to the Houston Texans, the Lions front office let go of head coach Matt Patricia after a 5-6 start. The Lions responded with a comeback victory over the Chicago Bears last week to avenge a Week 1 loss and gave interim head coach Darrell Bevell his first coaching victory.
Matt Stafford threw for a season-high 402 yards and three touchdowns on 27-of-42 yards passing. Stafford has connected on 21 passing touchdowns this season and 3,278 yards.
Future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson carried the ball 16 times for 57 yards and found the endzone twice. Peterson has scored four touchdowns in the last two games for the Lions. After a three-game absence, the Lions are expected to have rookie running back D’Andre Swift back in the backfield in most likely a limited role.
With Kenny Golladay sidelined, Marvin Jones II (eight receptions, 116 yards, one touchdown) and tight end T.J. Hockenson (seven catches, 84 yards) have stepped in as primary targets through the air for Stafford. Golladay has been ruled out again for the Week 14 contest.
The Pick is In
The Lions showed a lot of heart last week, coming from behind to take down the Bears on the road a week after losing their head coach. Green Bay, meanwhile, continues to roll offensively, averaging a league-high 31.6 points per game. Both quarterbacks should be able to take advantage of shaky secondaries, but the Lions do not have the firepower to keep up with the Packers offensively.
The Pick: Green Bay -8.5
