Lions, Packers meet in Thursday night showdown for NFC North lead
Lions, Packers meet in Thursday night showdown for NFC North lead
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) scores a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) fumbles as he is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. Hutchinson recovered the ball on the play. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) is brought down by Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) celebrates after an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
New Orleans Saints place-kicker Blake Grupe (19) watches his field goal go wide as Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) celebrates after the New Orleans Saints missed a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) scores a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) scores a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) fumbles as he is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. Hutchinson recovered the ball on the play. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder (9) fumbles as he is sacked by Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson in the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. Hutchinson recovered the ball on the play. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) is brought down by Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London (5) is brought down by Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) celebrates after an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) celebrates after an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
New Orleans Saints place-kicker Blake Grupe (19) watches his field goal go wide as Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
New Orleans Saints place-kicker Blake Grupe (19) watches his field goal go wide as Green Bay Packers linebacker Quay Walker (7) celebrates during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Mike Roemer)
Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) celebrates after the New Orleans Saints missed a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) celebrates after the New Orleans Saints missed a field goal during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, in Green Bay, Wis. The Packers won 18-17. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
DETROIT (2-1) at GREEN BAY (2-1)
Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT, Prime Video
OPENING LINE: Lions by 1½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Lions 2-1, Packers 1-2
SERIES RECORD: Packers lead 105-75-7
LAST MEETING: Lions won 20-16 at Green Bay on Jan. 8.
LAST WEEK: Lions won 20-6 at home over Falcons; Packers won 18-17 at home over Saints
LIONS OFFENSE: OVERALL (8), RUSH (11), PASS (7), SCORING (T12)
PACKERS OFFENSE: OVERALL (22), RUSH (23), PASS (T18), SCORING (8)
LIONS DEFENSE: OVERALL (11), RUSH (5), PASS (19), SCORING (15)
PACKERS DEFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (T27), PASS (10), SCORING (T13)
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL: Lions minus-3, Packers plus-2
LIONS PLAYER TO WATCH: TE Sam LaPorta has 18 catches, the most receptions by a rookie tight end in his first three games, surpassing the mark set by Keith Jackson in Philadelphia 35 years ago. He also is the first tight end to have at least five catches in each of his first three games. His 186 yards trail only Aaron Hernandez’s 211 yards in 2011 with the New England Patriots for the most by a player at the position in his first three games. Detroit drafted the former Iowa star No. 34 overall.
PACKERS PLAYER TO WATCH: OLB Rashan Gary is playing a limited number of snaps early this season as he works his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament that ended his 2022 season prematurely, but he’s a potent pass rusher whenever he’s on the field. Gary had a career-high three sacks Sunday against the Saints.
KEY MATCHUP: Lions running game vs. Packers run defense. After allowing 211 yards rushing in a 25-24 loss at Atlanta, Green Bay’s defense bounced back by holding New Orleans to 77 yards on 22 carries. But that came against a Saints backfield that was missing Jamaal Williams because of an injury and Alvin Kamara because of a suspension. Detroit’s rushing attack offers a tougher challenge, particularly if David Montgomery returns after missing a game with a thigh bruise. The Lions also have rookie first-round pick Jahmyr Gibbs, who rushed for 80 yards on Sunday.
KEY INJURIES: Montgomery and Lions OT Taylor Decker (ankle) are listed as questionable. Montgomery was out last week and Decker has missed two games. ... Lions safety Joseph Kerby (hip), guard Jonah Jackson (thigh) and CB Emmanuel Moseley (knee/hamstring) also are questionable. ... Lions OT Matt Nelson, who became a starter with Decker out, has been ruled out with an ankle injury. ... Lions guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai (knee) and FB Jason Cabinda (knee) also are out. ... Packers WR Christian Watson has missed each of Green Bay’s first three games and RB Aaron Jones has missed two straight games with hamstring injuries. They’re both listed as questionable. … Packers LB De’Vondre Campbell (ankle), OT David Bakhtiari (knee), guard Elgton Jenkins (knee) and safety Zayne Anderson (hamstring) are out. This will be the third straight game Bakhtiari has missed. Jenkins and Anderson are missing a second straight game. ... Packers CB Jaire Alexander (back) didn’t play Sunday and is questionable for Thursday’s game. Packers OT Zach Tom (knee) and CB Carrington Valentine (biceps) also are questionable.
SERIES NOTES: The Packers have a lopsided lead in the series, but the Lions won the past three meetings. Detroit’s 20-16 victory at Lambeau Field in the final week of the regular season prevented the Packers from reaching the playoffs and ended four-time MVP QB Aaron Rodgers’ tenure in Green Bay. … This has been a streaky series lately. The Lions beat the Packers four straight times, then lost the next five matchups with Green Bay before their current three-game win streak. … Both Packers-Lions games this season will take place on a Thursday. The Packers visit Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.
STATS AND STUFF: Detroit has scored 20-plus points in 12 straight games — one short of the franchise record set in 1995 — and that’s the longest active streak in the NFL by at least three games. ... The Lions had six players combine for seven sacks last week, the most players they’ve had with a sack in a game since 1991. ... Lions QB Jared Goff has thrown an INT in two straight games, including a pick-6 in loss to Seattle, after he went 383 passes without an INT in the third-longest streak in NFL history. Goff has had a passer rating or 85 or more in 10 straight games, the longest active run in the league and the best in franchise history. ... Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and Odell Beckham (2014-16) had six-plus catches or more in their first 36 games, the most in NFL history. ... Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson is the first player in league history with at least 10 sacks and three interceptions through the first 20 games of a career. ... Lions Rookie DB Brian Branch is the first player since at least 1994 to have 10 tackles, included three for losses, and two pass defended in a game as he had against Atlanta. … The Packers are coming off one of their biggest comebacks ever. Sunday’s 18-17 victory over the Saints marked just the second time in franchise history that the Packers had won a game they had trailed by at least 17 points heading into the fourth quarter, according to Elias Sports Bureau. The other time came in a 24-23 victory over the Chicago Bears on Sept. 9, 2018. … Packers QB Jordan Love has thrown seven TD passes and only one INT in his first season as a starter. … Six of Love’s seven TD passes have gone to players in their first or second pro seasons. Romeo Doubs, a 2022 fourth-round pick, has three TD catches. Rookie second-round pick Jayden Reed has two and rookie fifth-round selection Dontayvion Wicks has one.
FANTASY TIP: Doubs was targeted 12 times Sunday, an indication of how much Love trusts the second-year receiver. Doubs rewarded that faith by scoring the go-ahead touchdown. Even when Watson returns, Doubs is worth keeping on your roster and potentially starting.
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