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This weekend, the Packers meet the Lions in the penultimate game of a hectic Week 18 slate, and the outcome might determine who earns the NFC’s final playoff spot.
After a rough start to the season, Green Bay has won five straight games and would be the No. 7 seed in the playoffs if it were to win on Sunday night. A win and a defeat by the Seahawks earlier in the day would put Detroit in that position, but the motivation to win would be in question if Seattle wins on Sunday afternoon.
Our predictions for Sunday night’s 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff on NBC.
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Match Prediction and Analysis: Packers vs. Lions (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)
The Packers’ offensive woes reached a new low in the Lions’ 15-9 home triumph the last time these two clubs played. Do not anticipate the same outcome this time.
In that game, Green Bay had 19 first downs, the same number as Detroit, and roughly 400 yards of offense, or more than half of Detroit’s total (254 yards). The Packers were on the verge of a season-ending five-game winning streak before three interceptions in the red zone ruined their chances.
It was a watershed moment for the team as a whole, and they responded favorably the following week with a 31-28 victory over the Cowboys. In that victory, rookie wideout Christian Watson caught three touchdown receptions, establishing himself as the offensive unit’s much-needed big-play threat. It also helped stabilize a strong running game that has been hitting its stride during the current four-game winning streak.
Christianity Watson, aka Christian
Images by Getty
A total of 12 takeaways have been induced by the defense in the last four games, which is tied for the second-most of any team during that span. They have picked off three passes in each of the last two games, and in last week’s 41-17 victory against Minnesota, the Packers’ excellent secondary absolutely shut down superstar wideout Justin Jefferson (1 catch, 15 yards).
The Lions just came off a 41-10 victory over an even worse Bears team, but the week prior at Carolina, their defense allowed 37 points. The team’s high-octane offensive isn’t enough to offset the fact that they rank worst in the league in total defense (398.7 yards per game), 29th in scoring defense (25.7 points per game), and 28th in defensive DVOA.
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A win by the Seahawks over the Rams (+6) earlier in the day would eliminate this group, so Detroit would enter the game knowing its playoff aspirations have been destroyed. With nothing left to play for but pride in a divisional battle, the Lions might easily come out flat only minutes after learning that their season was effectively over 2,000 miles away.
If Seattle wins in the afternoon, betting against Detroit in the first half could be a good idea. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: the Packers are the superior club, and they should avenge their Week 9 loss in the season finale.
How likely is a Packers victory over the Lions? (via BetMGM)
O/U 49 Packers -4.5 (-110), Lions +4.5 (-110), moneyline -225. (-110)
»Will Green Bay win and secure the NFC’s final playoff spot against the Lions?«