Packers at Lions on TNF: Time, TV, Big Matchup, Playoff Picture, Prediction

The Green Bay Packers (9-3) will face the Detroit Lions (11-1) on Thursday night at Ford Field. Here’s what you need to know before kickoff, including the big matchup and a prediction.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) gets forced out of bounds by Detroit Lions linebackers Jack Campbell (46) and Alex Anzalone. / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

DETROIT – Two of the hottest teams in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, will battle on Thursday night at Ford Field. The Lions have won 10 consecutive games. The Packers have won seven of their last eight, with the exception being against the Lions on Nov. 3.

Here’s what you need to know about the 191st game in the series.

What Channel for Packers-Lions?

TV: The game will be broadcast via Amazon’s Prime Video. If you are an Amazon subscriber, just go to your account and watch.

If you’re not a subscriber but you live in the Green Bay and Milwaukee TV markets, you’re in luck.  If you live in the Green Bay area, the game will be aired on WGBA-TV Channel 26. If you live in the Milwaukee area, the game will be aired on WITI-TV Channel 6.

Al Michaels will deliver the play-by-play, with Kirk Herbstreit providing the analysis and Kaylee Hartung working on the sideline.

Radio: Here’s the list of Packers Radio Network stations, featuring Wayne Larrivee and Larry McCarren on the call.

Westwood One will have the national broadcast, featuring Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Ross Tucker (analyst).

Packers-Lions: The Vitals

Date and time: Thursday at 7:15 p.m.

Where: Ford Field

Injury report: Three starters are out for the Packers – Jaire Alexander, Romeo Doubs and Edgerrin Cooper. Four starters are out for the Lions, including left tackle Taylor Decker. Here’s the final report.

Tickets: Tickets start at $195 on NFL Ticket Exchange.

The line: The Packers are 3.5-point underdogs against the Super Bowl favorites with an over/under of 51.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook. Jared Goff and Jordan Love are -130 to combine for 500 passing yards. The Packers are 3.5-point underdogs at DraftKings, as well. The line has remained steady all week.

History: Including two playoff games, the Packers lead the series 106-77-7. The teams have met at least once per season for 93 consecutive years. The first matchup was played on Nov 2, 1930, with the Packers blasting the Portsmouth Spartans 47-13 at City Stadium. Verne Lewellen ran for two touchdowns and passed for another.

The teams have split the last 10 games. Since 2019, the Packers are 3-0 in Thursday night road games.

The Playoff Picture

The Packers have won three in a row but haven’t gained any ground on the Lions in the NFC North or the Vikings in the wild-card race because Detroit has won 10 in a row and Minnesota has won five straight.

Green Bay remains the sixth seed in the NFC and are close to locks to return to the playoffs.

If Green Bay wins, there is a path to the No. 1 seed. According to Pro Football Network, a victory would give the Packers a 22.4 percent chance to win the NFC North and a 13.1 percent chance to be the No. 1 seed.

Packers-Lions Preview

Talk about a clash of the titans.

The Lions are 11-1 and winners of 10 consecutive games, their longest streak since 1934. The Packers are 9-3 and winners of three in a row.

That’s a combined 20-4, or a winning percentage of .833. According to the NFL, that is the highest combined winning percentage for a Thursday night game played in December or later in NFL history.

The offenses will be the story. Detroit is No. 2 in total offense and No. 1 in points. Green Bay is No. 3 in total offense and No. 8 in points. This will be the first matchup in Week 14 or later between teams each averaging at least 380 yards per game since Chiefs-Chargers in 2021.

It was total domination when these teams met in the rain at Lambeau Field on Nov. 3. By total yards, it was 411-261, including 273-145 through the air. On the ground, it was a 6.0-yard average vs 3.9.

It was the Packers who held those advantages, which amounted to a heaping handful of nothing. The Lions won 24-14. Detroit marched to touchdowns on the first drive of the game and the first drive of the second half, and Jordan Love threw a pick-six before halftime.

“I remember we did a lot of things that hurt ourselves and put us in a situation where I feel like we were playing catch-up for the whole second half of the game,” running back Josh Jacobs said. “Yeah, man, I think that we did a lot of things well early. We cut down on mistakes, it’s going to come down to the wire but it’ll be a better game.”

Green Bay was 1-of-4 in the red zone in that game and Love was playing through a groin injury. During its three-game winning streak, Green Bay ranks fifth in the red zone and a healthy Love has thrown only one interception.

Here is more in-depth game preview.

Big Matchup: Packers vs. Lions RBs David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs

The Lions are fourth in the NFL with 154.4 rushing yards per game and eighth with 4.76 rushing yards per attempt. Electric Jahmyr Gibbs is fourth with 973 rushing yards and second among running backs with a 5.97-yard average. Veteran David Montgomery is 18th with 720 rushing yards.

There’s a good chance they’ll both reach 1,000 yards for the season. Already, they are the first tandem with back-to-back seasons of 10-plus rushing touchdowns in NFL history, and they joined Packers legends Jim Taylor and Paul Hornung as the only set of running backs with back-to-back seasons of 10-plus scrimmage touchdowns.

The Lions are 10-0 when they both score in a game.

“Gibbs is a great running back. I really think the offense really starts with him, honestly,” Packers defensive tackle Kenny Clark said. “He can do everything – receive, in-and-out runner, can do stretch, duo plays. We’ve got to have all hands on deck with Gibbs.

“And then Montgomery, he’s a great complement to him. He can do everything, also, but he’s been great since he got in the league when he was with the Bears. I’ve got a lot of respect for him, too.”

The last two weeks, Green Bay’s run defense slammed the door on San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey, who led the NFL in rushing in 2023, and Miami’s De’Von Achane, who led the NFL in yards per carry in 2023.

They will be stressed by a powerful offensive line and an elite backfield duo.

“Yeah, playing really, really well,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said of Green Bay’s run defense. “Look, they’ve been playing well really all season and nothing has changed. They’re an attacking-style defense.

“We talked about Clark there in the middle and (T.J.) Slaton and (Rashan) Gary. They’ve got a good crew, man, and they’ve really got a two-deep that get in there and play hard, they’re physical, finish on the football. And, of course, Quay (Walker) back there and that secondary. So, it’s just a good group. They’re sound, they play hard and that usually leads to good run defense.”

Packers-Lions Prediction

The Lions have been the best team in the NFL for most of the season. Fortunately for the Packers, they’re not playing the best team in the NFL.

Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, who leads the team in sacks and quarterback hits despite missing the last six games, is on injured reserve. So is linebacker Alex Anzalone, who led the team in tackles last season.

Among the team’s 18 players on injured reserve, 13 play on defense. That includes starting defensive end Marcus Davenport and three other linebackers. Josh Paschal, who replaced Hutchinson in the lineup, is out for this game, as are defensive tackles Levi Onwuzurike and D.J. Reader, who are second and third on the team in quarterback hits, respectively.

The explosive Lions, led by the precision of quarterback Jared Goff, are going to score points. The Packers should be able to score more.

Packers 31, Lions 27

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— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) December 5, 2024

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