TAMPA BAY vs DETROIT
When: 12/26/2020 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 10
PREDICTION: DETROIT , TAMPA BAY

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 10 point favorites versus the TAMPA BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 54.

Tom Brady’s arrival led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to believe their long playoff drought might end this season.

That dream could come to fruition as early as Saturday, when the Bucs visit Detroit.

A victory would clinch a playoff berth with one more game to go. So would a Chicago loss or tie to Jacksonville.

The Bucs (9-5) are also still in the running for an NFC South Division title. While the Bucs trail the Saints (10-4) by a game, if the teams finished tied, the Saints would win the tiebreaker since they beat Tampa Bay twice in the regular season.

The last time the Bucs reached the postseason was 2007, when they lost to the New York Giants in the wild-card round.

“I call them a hat and T-shirt games,” coach Bruce Arians said. “This is a hat and T-shirt game. You get a hat and a T-shirt when you’re in the playoffs. It’s a great feeling for these guys. That was the goal this year — it was to get in The Dance and anything can happen once you’re in there. But get ourselves in The Dance and we have that opportunity on (Saturday).”

A Brady-fueled comeback on Sunday put the Bucs on the brink of a postseason berth. Tampa Bay trailed Atlanta 17-0 at halftime but roared back for a 31-27 triumph. Brady threw for 390 yards and two touchdowns.

He needs 114 passing yards on Saturday to reach the 4,000-yard mark for the season. Brady will be making his 300th career regular-season appearance.

With Ronald Jones placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list and also recovering from finger surgery, Leonard Fournette served as the main running back against the Falcons. He rushed for 49 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.

“I thought it was fine,” Arians said of the running game. “When we wanted to run, we were successful. We pounded it in twice at the goal line and ran out the clock at the end of the game. In between, it was hit or miss. Just enough to keep the play action really good.”

The pass defense was subpar, as it allowed 332 yards. The Bucs also failed to force a turnover.

“Our defense needs to reevaluate themselves a little bit and get back to what we’re supposed to be doing and what we’re capable of doing,” Arians said.

The Lions (5-9) have allowed 30 or more points in each of their last four games. Their decimated defense was gouged for 463 yards in a 46-25 loss to Tennessee on Sunday.

Matthew Stafford played despite a rib injury and threw for 252 yards and a touchdown before he was replaced late in the game by Chase Daniel.

“He was sore coming out of the game. He did take a couple of hits in that game,” interim coach Darrell Bevell said. “He’s as tough as they come, tough as nails.”

The Lions are out of the playoff picture, but Stafford isn’t interested in sitting out the last two games if he feels he can play.

“To be honest with you, I don’t think he’ll let that happen,” Bevell said. “These guys are true competitors. There’s a sense of pride that you need to be there, you want to be there for your teammates.”

Detroit was forced to close its practice facility on Tuesday after two members of the organization tested positive for the coronavirus. Bevell isn’t sure how much the team will be allowed to practice this week.

“Just got to play that by ear,” he said.

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MINNESOTA vs DETROIT
When: 1/3/2021 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 3.5
PREDICTION: DETROIT , MINNESOTA

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 3.5 point favorites versus the MINNESOTA, while the game’s total is sitting at 53.5.

The season finale between the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions will not only lack drama, it will be played without the biggest star for either team.

Vikings All-Pro running back Dalvin Cook won’t travel to Detroit due to the death of his father James. Cook has rushed for 1,557 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 5.0 yards per carry.

Minnesota (6-9) was officially eliminated from playoff contention last week with a 52-33 loss to New Orleans on Christmas Day. The Vikings will try to avoid finishing the season on a four-game slide.

Detroit (5-10) has dropped seven of its last nine, including a 47-7 thrashing by Tampa Bay on Saturday.

Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins, who needs 140 passing yards on Sunday to reach the 4,000-yard mark this season, sees some value in collecting a Week 17 victory.

“We want to finish strong,” he said. “I heard this morning that it’s important we don’t use this as the last game of this year but as the first game of 2021. That will kind of help us to focus on where we’re headed and what we’re trying to build, trying to get 2021 started off on the right foot.”

Cousins has turned his season around after a slow start, throwing 21 touchdown passes compared to three interceptions over the last nine games. He was picked off 12 times during the first six games when Minnesota won just one game.

“I do look at it and see there was an improvement after the bye week in terms of turnovers but if you don’t have those turnovers earlier in the year, maybe you don’t start 1-5,” he said.

Cook will be replaced by a combination of Ameer Abdullah, Mike Boone and Alexander Mattison.

The Vikings’ run defense has fallen apart the last two games, allowing Chicago’s David Montgomery to rush for 146 yards and two touchdowns and New Orleans’ Alvin Kamara to pile up 155 yards and six touchdowns.

Detroit’s injury-riddled defense has allowed 30 or more points in the last five games. The Buccaneers could have easily scored more than 47 points last weekend if they hadn’t eased up and used backups most of the second half.

At least the Lions will have some semblance of a coaching staff for the finale. Due to COVID-19 protocols, a majority of the staff was forced to miss the Bucs game, including interim head coach Darrell Bevell.

“Very strange experience,” Bevell said. “I would probably use the word helpless, as you’re sitting there just watching it on TV. I really felt like I needed to be there. I wanted to be there.”

The Lions’ offense looked helpless as well after quarterback Matthew Stafford hobbled off during the first quarter with an ankle injury.

Bevell hasn’t completely ruled out Stafford for Sunday’s game, though it seems unlikely he’ll play. He’s also battling a rib injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday. If he can’t go, Chase Daniel or Daniel Blough would get the call.

“With Matthew, I think the best thing for him is he’s got the best feel and read for his body,” Bevell said. “So we’ll continue to progress like we normally do with him. Some of the other injuries are resolving, so we’ll see how this injury on his ankle resolves by the end of the week.”

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CHICAGO vs DETROIT
When: 9/13/2020 1:00 PM
Where:

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: -2.5
PREDICTION: DETROIT , CHICAGO

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as -2.5 point favorites versus the CHICAGO, while the game’s total is sitting at 43.5.

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LA CHARGERS vs DETROIT
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, September 15, 2019
Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

TV: 1 p.m. ET, CBS.
LINE: Chargers -2.5.
O/U: 47.5
PREDICTION: Chargers 31, Lions 27

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the LA CHARGERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 47.

The Detroit Lions didn’t lose their season opener, but they are in the position where they need to rebound from a highly disappointing result when they host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Detroit squandered an 18-point, fourth-quarter lead in its initial contest before kicking a field goal to salvage a 27-27 tie with Arizona.

Matthew Stafford says the blown lead is now in the past as the club needs to make sure it focuses on the Chargers. “You can’t dwell on it, whether it was a great win and great performance, or a blowout loss and a terrible performance,” Detroit’s quarterback told reporters. “If you do this a long time, you understand that. If you don’t understand that, you probably don’t do this for a long time. It’s part of what is ingrained in us. We move forward.” Los Angeles blew a 15-point, third-quarter advantage in its season opener before eventually posting a 30-24 overtime victory over Indianapolis. Philip Rivers will make his 210th consecutive regular-season start for the Chargers as he trails only Brett Favre (297) and Eli Manning (set for No. 211) on the all-time list among quarterbacks.

ABOUT THE CHARGERS (1-0): No one within the franchise has been concerned about the holdout of running back Melvin Gordon, and that became more evident when Austin Ekeler recorded 154 scrimmage yards (58 rushing, 96 receiving) and scored three touchdowns (including the game-winning 7-yard run in OT) in the opener. “In the past, I still made plays on the field,” Ekeler told reporters after his big performance. “People are acting like I came out of nowhere. I made plays, but it was more limited because Melvin was here.” Defensive ends Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram both had sacks in the opener while veteran linebacker Thomas Davis racked up a team-best 14 sacks in his club debut.

ABOUT THE LIONS (0-0-1): Stafford passed for 385 yards and three touchdowns against the Cardinals, with Danny Amendola (seven receptions, 124 yards, one touchdown) and rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson (six, 131, one) making huge contributions. “He’s a beast,” Amendola told reporters of Hockenson, who accumulated the most yardage by a rookie tight end in his debut in NFL history, surpassing Monty Stickles of San Francisco in 1960. “He’s been working really hard. He got a taste of what the NFL is all about and he’s a great player, great teammate, and I’m excited to see what he does.” Linebacker Devon Kennard posted a career-best three sacks while safety Tracy Walker had an interception and a career-high nine tackles.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Chargers have won seven of the last eight meetings.

2. Amendola’s 100-yard outing in the opener was the ninth of his career.

3. Los Angeles TE Hunter Henry (knee) is expected to be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks.

PREDICTION: Chargers 31, Lions 27

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DETROIT vs ARIZONA
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, September 8, 2019
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX.
LINE: Lions -2.5
O/U: 46.5
PREDICTION: Lions 24, Cardinals 21

Oddsmakers currently have the ARIZONA listed as 2.5 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 47.

The much-anticipated Kyler Murray era begins Sunday when the Arizona Cardinals host the Detroit Lions, but the first overall pick in the 2019 draft boasts a sense of calmness as the moment nears. “I’m chillin’,” Murray, the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner at Oklahoma, told reporters. “I’m excited for Sunday obviously knowing it’s a big day for everybody – the start of the season. But we want to start it off the right way and that’s with a win. So, I’m preparing like any other season for me.”

Cardinals first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury wants his quarterback, who is listed at 5 feet 10, 207 pounds, to “play his game, cut it loose” as he takes the keys to the Air Raid offense that Kingsbury brought with him from Texas Tech. Detroit on Wednesday bought a look inside Kingsbury’s playbook when it signed quarterback Chad Kanoff, who was cut by Arizona last weekend, to the practice squad. Kingsbury said that Kanoff knows “pretty much everything. Whatever he says is exactly what we’re going to run in the game. That’s tough for us.” The Lions – like the Cardinals – finished last in their division in 2018 and hope that quarterback Matthew Stafford, who has played every game over the last eight years, can lead them back to the postseason.

ABOUT THE LIONS (2018: 6-10, LAST IN NFC NORTH): Stafford owns a franchise-record eight straight seasons with 3,500 or more passing yards and needs 1,474 to become the 21st quarterback in NFL history with 40,000. Second-year coach Matt Patricia, who was defensive coordinator in New England from 2012-17, has a pair of ex-Super Bowl champions making their club debuts in defensive end Trey Flowers (7.5 sacks, three forced fumbles in 2018 with the Patriots) and wide receiver Danny Amendola, who spent last season with Miami after five years in Foxborough. Running back C.J. Anderson, who also makes his team debut, rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown against Arizona last season while with the Los Angeles Rams.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (2018: 3-13, LAST IN NFC WEST): Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (1,303 catches, 16,279 yards) is second all-time in receiving yards to Jerry Rice (22,895) and needs 23 receptions to move past Tony Gonzalez and into second behind Rice (1,549). Running back David Johnson recorded 1,239 yards and 16 touchdowns rushing and 80 receptions for 879 yards and four scores during his breakout season of 2016 but didn’t approach those numbers last year (940 yards, seven TDs rushing; 50 catches, 446 yards, three TDs) after missing the final 15 games of 2017 with a wrist injury. Arizona boasts a formidable pass rush in linebacker Chandler Jones, whose 53.5 sacks since 2015 lead the NFL, and linebacker Terrell Suggs, who joins the team while leading all active players with 132.5.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Detroit CB Darius Slay tied for third in the league with 17 passes defended last season and his 86 PDs since 2014 lead the NFL.

2. Fitzgerald carries a 227-game reception streak into the season – second-longest in NFL history behind Rice (274).

3. The Lions lead the series 33-28-5 and snapped a seven-game slide by winning the last two meetings, including 17-3 last season in Arizona with Slay returning an interception 67 yards for a touchdown.

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DETROIT LIONS vs ARIZONA CARDINALS
When: 4:25 PM ET, Sunday, December 9, 2018
Where: State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

TV: 4:25 PM
LINE: 3
PREDICTION: ARIZONA , DETROIT

Oddsmakers currently have the ARIZONA listed as 3 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 40.5.

The Arizona Cardinals attempt to post back-to-back victories for the first time this season when they host the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Arizona recorded its first win of 2018 against a team other than San Francisco last week as it recorded a 20-17 triumph at Green Bay that led to the firing of Packers coach Mike McCarthy.

The Cardinals registered a season-high 182 yards on the ground against Green Bay behind an offensive line that saw two more members land on injured reserve this week, bringing the current total to six. Arizona’s chances at a second straight win appear good, as the team has won seven of its last eight meetings with Detroit. The Lions hopes to avoid its second three-game losing streak of the season after dropping home decisions against Chicago and the league-leading Los Angeles Rams. Detroit halted its seven-game slide in the all-time series in the last meeting as it posted a 35-23 home victory on Sept. 10, 2017.

TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Lions -3. O/U: 40.5

ABOUT THE LIONS (4-8): Matthew Stafford, who threw four touchdown passes in last season’s win over Arizona, has been limited in practice this week due to a back ailment but figures to be under center on Sunday. The 30-year-old has been impressive on the road this season, passing for 1,344 yards with nine touchdowns and only two interceptions in five contests. LeGarrette Blount has rushed for 43 scores since 2013, the second-most among active players.

ABOUT THE CARDINALS (3-9): Tackle D.J. Humphries and guard Mike Iupati both landed on injured reserve with knee injuries, joining center A.Q. Shipley (knee), tackle John Wetzel (neck) and guards Jeremy Vujnovich (hamstring) and Justin Pugh (knee) on the shelf. Arizona also placed wide receiver Christian Kirk (foot), who leads the team with 590 receiving yards, and defensive tackle Olsen Pierre (knee) on IR. Veteran wideout Larry Fitzgerald is one reception away from passing Jerry Rice (1,281) for most by a player with one team in NFL history.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Lions RB Kerryon Johnson (knee) has not practiced this week and is expected to miss his third straight game.

2. Arizona signed Rees Odhiambo from Indianapolis’ practice squad and inked fellow OL Joe Barksdale (released by the Chargers) while promoting DE Vontarrius Dora and WR Jalen Tolliver from its practice squad.

3. Detroit placed LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin on injured reserve with a neck injury.

PREDICTION: Cardinals 24, Lions 20

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LA RAMS vs DETROIT LIONS
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, December 2, 2018
Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 9.5
PREDICTION: DETROIT , LA RAMS

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 9.5 point favorites versus the LA RAMS, while the game’s total is sitting at 55.

The Los Angeles Rams can wrap up their second straight NFC West Division title and stay in the hunt for the top overall seed in the conference when they visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon. Los Angeles, which won its first eight games behind a high-powered offense, is coming off a bye that followed a pulsating 54-51 win over Kansas City in Week 11.

With back-to-back road games at Detroit and Chicago on deck, the Rams are trying not to get too preoccupied with potential seeding for the postseason. “We’ve got to find a way to get better. Those good teams really do that,” coach Sean McVay said. “You’ve got to continue to get better if you expect to compete, but for us, that focus is on the Detroit Lions this week.” Detroit has seen its playoff hopes fizzle over the past five weeks, falling to 1-4 in that span after a 23-16 loss to the Bears on Thanksgiving Day. “Certainly the Rams are not going to feel sorry for us,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said. “We just have to make sure we do a good job of doing everything we can to try to stop them.”

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Rams -10. O/U: 54.5

ABOUT THE RAMS (10-1): Todd Gurley, who fell to second in the league in rushing during the bye week, was hindered by an ankle injury and had a season-low 12 carries against Kansas City but McVay said he had a great practice Wednesday. Jared Goff threw for 413 yards and four touchdowns in the shootout against the Chiefs and has 14 scoring passes against one interception over his past five games. Brandin Cooks has bounced back from a quiet three-game stretch with three consecutive 100-yard games, hauling in 24 receptions in that span. Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh returns to the city where he began his career but Aaron Donald is a bigger threat with an NFL-high 14.5 sacks.

ABOUT THE LIONS (4-7): After years of having one of the league’s worst rushing attacks, Detroit finally had established a solid ground game before rookie Kerryon Johnson suffered a knee injury that will sideline him for a second straight game. LeGarrette Blount was brought out of mothballs to fill in for Johnson on Thanksgiving and responded by rushing for a season-high 88 yards and two touchdowns. Matthew Stafford has only three touchdown passes versus four interceptions over the past four games and is working with a depleted receiving corps led by Kenny Golladay. Nose tackle Damon Harrison has solidified a run defense that has yielded 148 yards in the last three games.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Cooks needs 36 yards to become the first player in NFL history with 1,000 yards for three different teams in three straight seasons.

2. Stafford has 12 touchdown passes and two interceptions in his last four games games versus NFL West foes.

3. Gurley, who has an NFL-best 17 TDs, has scored in his last seven road games.

PREDICTION: Rams 34, Lions 20

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DETROIT LIONS vs MINNESOTA VIKINGS
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, November 4, 2018
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: -4
PREDICTION: MINNESOTA , DETROIT

Oddsmakers currently have the MINNESOTA listed as -4 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 49.

After having their three-game winning streak snapped last week, the Minnesota Vikings look to get back on track when they begin a string of three straight division games Sunday against the visiting Detroit Lions. Minnesota occupied first place in the NFC North before a 30-20 home loss to New Orleans in Week 8 dropped it one-half game behind Chicago in the tightly contested division.

Adam Thielen made league history in the Vikings’ setback against the Saints, becoming the first player to record at least 100 receiving yards in eight straight games to start a season. Thielen, who leads the NFL in receptions (74 – most in his team’s first eight contests in league history) and receiving yards (925), has made a touchdown catch in each of his last five games. Detroit was attempting for a three-game winning streak of its own last week but dropped a 28-14 decision at home to Seattle. Matthew Stafford will need to find a new favorite target as the Lions, who are just one game behind the Bears in the NFC North, traded leading receiver Golden Tate (44 catches, 517 yards – both team highs) to Philadelphia on Tuesday.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Vikings -5. O/U: 49

ABOUT THE LIONS (3-4): Marvin Jones Jr. figures to become Stafford’s new main receiver, especially after his impressive performance last week. The 28-year-old, who is in his third season with Detroit after spending his first four with Cincinnati, made seven catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns in the loss to the Seahawks. T.J. Jones, who has just four receptions this season after registering a career-high 30 last year, also figures to see more action with Tate gone while defensive tackle Damon Harrison seeks another strong performance after recording seven tackles and a sack in his team debut last week.

ABOUT THE VIKINGS (4-3-1): Thielen’s eight straight games with at least 100 receiving yards ties the NFL record set in 2012 by Calvin Johnson of the Lions. He can join Atlanta’s Julio Jones (80, 1,029 in 2015) as the only players in league history with at least 75 catches and 1,000 yards in their teams’ first nine contests this week. Safety Harrison Smith, who has made an interception in each of his last two games, is the only player in the NFL with at least 20 picks (20) and 10 sacks (12) since he entered the league in 2012.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has thrown 16 touchdown passes and only four interceptions in his first season with the team.

2. The Lions signed LB Kelvin Sheppard, who intercepted Cousins twice on Dec. 31 while with the New York Giants, to replace Tate on the roster.

3. Minnesota ranks fifth in the league in rushing defense at 91.8 yards allowed per game while Detroit is 31st at 144.6.

PREDICTION: Vikings 33, Lions 20

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DETROIT LIONS vs MIAMI DOLPHINS
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 21, 2018
Where: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: MIAMI , DETROIT

Oddsmakers currently have the MIAMI listed as 3 point favorites versus the DETROIT, while the game’s total is sitting at 46.5.

Golden Tate took issue with Albert Wilson’s claim that he’s the league’s best receiver in terms of gaining yards after the catch, saying that six games is not a big enough sample size. The two wide receivers aim to settle it on the field on Sunday as Tate and the Detroit Lions attempt to prevent the Miami Dolphins from jumping out to their first 4-0 start at home since 2000.

Wilson’s initial claim came on the heels of a six-catch, career-high 155-yard, two-touchdown performance as Miami snapped a two-game skid with a 31-28 overtime win over the Chicago Bears on Sunday. The 26-year-old captured AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts and even received some praise from Tate, who then countered that Wilson has 147 career catches while he has recorded at least 90 in each of the last four seasons with Detroit. Matthew Stafford has been on the other end of those throws, and the former top overall pick has thrown for nine touchdowns against one interception in his last four games leading into the team’s bye. Stafford might find the going a bit tough versus an opportunistic Dolphins defense that has an NFL-best 11 interceptions, led by Xavien Howard (three).

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Lions -3. O/U: 46.5

ABOUT THE LIONS (2-3): Tate, Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr. comprise one of the most productive receiving corps in the league, as Detroit boasts two wideouts in the top 10 in yards (Golladay, Tate), the top 20 in yards per catch (Golladay, Jones) and the top 15 in yards after catch (Tate, Golladay). “I think talent, depth, look at the stats that we’re putting up,” Tate said. “We’re a good group. Honestly, I think it starts with our run game. Our run game has been better and it’s opening up for us.” Kerryon Johnson could take credit for that with 251 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in his last three games, and the rookie could be in for a bigger role against Miami with fellow running back Theo Riddick sitting out practice on Thursday due to a knee injury.

ABOUT THE DOLPHINS (4-2): After being named the surprise starter 90 minutes before game time last week, Brock Osweiler officially got the nod to face the Lions on Wednesday after he stepped up and threw for a career-high 380 pass yards with three touchdowns against the Bears. “It’s something that I’ve been wanting for a lot of years,” the 27-year-old Osweiler told the Sun-Sentinel said. “I believe in coach Gase, his system, and who he is as a person and a coach. And I saw that firsthand for a lot of years in Denver, and I saw what it’s like to be able to play for a coach like that.” Osweiler would be wise to lean on his running game, with the ageless Frank Gore rolling up 101 yards last week and averaging 4.9 yards per carry this season heading into a meeting with Detroit’s 30th-ranked rush defense that is hemorrhaging 145.8 yards per contest.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Miami LB Kiko Alonso ranks second in the NFL with 61 tackles, with 11 coming last week to go along with a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

2. Detroit G T.J. Lang is trending toward returning on Sunday after being sidelined since last month with a concussion.

3. Dolphins RB Kenyan Drake rushed 13 times for 57 yards last week after carrying the ball 14 times for 52 yards in the previous three games combined.

PREDICTION: Lions 24, Dolphins 19

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GREEN BAY vs DETROIT
When: 1:00 PM ET, Sunday, October 7, 2018
Where: Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

TV: 1:00 PM
LINE: 0
PREDICTION: DETROIT , GREEN BAY

Oddsmakers currently have the DETROIT listed as 0 point favorites versus the GREEN BAY, while the game’s total is sitting at 51.

Aaron Rodgers and coach Mike McCarthy insist they are on the same page as the Green Bay Packers visit the Detroit Lions on Sunday in a matchup of NFC North rivals. Rodgers took some not-so-subtle shots at McCarthy’s offensive game plan following last weekend’s 22-0 victory over Buffalo.

Rodgers questioned the play-calling and the use of playmakers after a contest in which Green Bay outgained Buffalo 423-145. “It starts with good communication and being honest with each other, and then hugging it out afterwards,” Rodgers told reporters regarding his frank assessment of the offense. “There’s frustration in this business, and that’s what Mike always says, conflict is good. You’ve got to keep the conversation going, we have to find ways to be more efficient on offense.” The Lions are allowing an average of 28.5 points, with a stellar 26-10 victory over New England representing their lone stingy defensive effort. Stopping the run was the problem in last weekend’s 26-24 loss to Dallas as Ezekiel Elliott gained 152 of his team’s 183 rushing yards.

TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Packers -1. O/U: 51

ABOUT THE PACKERS (2-1-1): Rodgers has passed for 1,130 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception, but he may be missing his top three receivers against the Lions as Davante Adams (calf), Randall Cobb (hamstring) and Geronimo Allison (concussion) are battling injuries. “It’s about those guys taking advantage of their opportunity,” McCarthy told reporters of rookies Marquez Valdes-Scantling, J’Mon Moore and Equanimeous St. Brown. “They’re getting better. You’re seeing it in practice. … It’s not about learning the plays of the game plan, but it’s also about progressing with the opportunity to compete.” The defense is allowing 20.8 points per game and cornerback Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is tied for the NFL lead with three interceptions.

ABOUT THE LIONS (1-3): Detroit is averaging 23.5 points behind Matthew Stafford (1,202 yards, eight touchdowns, five interceptions) while coach Matt Patricia is declining to give more work to impressive rookie running back Kerryon Johnson (216 yards, 5.7 average). “I think we have a lot of really good running backs, and I think we try to use them appropriately,” Patricia told reporters. “I think Kerryon played a significant amount of the game. He played 20 snaps (of 53 plays), that’s a good amount.” Linebacker Devon Kennard is leading the defensive charge with four sacks while defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (shoulder) could return after a three-game absence.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Lions won both meetings last season by a cumulative 65-28 score, with Rodgers missing both contests.

2. Detroit CB Quandre Diggs is wearing a cast on the left hand he injured against Dallas but is hopeful of being cleared to play.

3. Green Bay LB Kyler Fackrell recorded a career-best three sacks against Buffalo.

PREDICTION: Packers 30, Lions 24

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