Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers NFL Betting Preview
Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season means a second straight divisional matchup for the 1-0 Green Bay Packers and the 0-1 Detroit Lions. While the Packers-Bears rivalry gets all the pub, the Packers-Lions rivalry is the longest continuously-running rivalry in the NFL, with at least two matchups every year since 1932.
The 182nd matchup between these rivals takes place Sunday at 1 pm ET at Lambeau Field in Green Bay and will be televised regionally on FOX.
Last season, the Packers stopped a four-game slide to the Lions, winning in Detroit 23-20 and at home 23-22. The Packers lead the rivalry 102-72-7, but, after a 17-3 record in the 2000s decade, the Packers were just 12-8 against the Lions in the 2010s.
From 1991-2014, the Packers beat the Lions 24 straight times in Wisconsin, including a 1993 playoffs win, but Detroit has won three of the last five in Lambeau.
Detroit Lions Outlook: Learn to Finish
The Lions did everything right for three quarters on Sunday against Chicago, but a horrendous fourth quarter left them with a 10th straight loss, 27-23. The Lions led 23-6 with 13 minutes to play but fell apart on both sides of the ball.
The final 13 minutes saw three touchdowns allowed, a missed field goal, an interception, and a dropped game-winning score in the end zone on the next-to-last play of the game.
Veteran QB Matthew Stafford returned to the Lions after missing the final eight games of the 2019 season. Stafford threw for 297 yards and a touchdown while completing 24-of-42 passes but also threw a costly four-quarter interception.
The offense was without injured WR Kenny Golladay (hamstring), who destroyed the Packers secondary in 2019 with eight catches for 193 yards.
The top wide receiver target Sunday was Danny Amendola with five catches for 81 yards, while tight end T.J. Hockenson also caught five passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.
The running game accounted for 138 yards and one score. Future Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson ran 14 times for 93 yards in his Lions debut while rookie DeAndre Swift had the touchdown.
The defense had one sack and three tackles for a loss but did not force any turnovers from Mitch Trubisky and the Bears. The Bears ran for 5.3 yards per carry and tallied 149 yards on the ground. Trubisky threw for just 219 yards, with 93 of those yards coming in the final quarter.
Green Bay Packers Outlook: Keep the Offense Going
The Packers got off to a slow start Sunday in Minnesota with two field goals and a safety for an 8-7 lead. But from there on, the offense was peak Aaron Rodgers en route to a 43-34 win that wasn’t as close as the final score.
Rodgers looked rejuvenated as he threw for 364 yards and four touchdowns while completing 32-of-44 passes.
Rodgers’ favorite target was Davante Adams, who tied a team record and set a personal career best with 14 receptions. He tallied 156 yards and hauled in two touchdowns.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling had a couple of drops but finished with 93 yards on four receptions with a score, while Allen Lazard had four catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.
On the ground, the Packers ran for 158 yards led by Aaron Jones, who scored a touchdown while rushing 16 times for 66 yards.
Cornerback Jaire Alexander had an interception and also sacked Kirk Cousins for a safety. Za’Darius Smith added a sack, and rookie linebacker Krys Barnes had two tackles for loss.
The defense allowed nine points in the first three quarters and 24 points in the fourth quarter, including three two-point conversions.
Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers Betting Lines By Scoresandstats
● Lions spread: +6 (-110) Lions moneyline: +200
● Packers spread: -6 (-110) Packers moneyline: -245
● Over/Under: 46 (O -110, U -110)
These quarterbacks have a ton of history, as Stafford is 7-11 against the Packers and Rodgers is 15-5 against the Lions. The Detroit defense will need to figure things out from the fourth quarter if they hope to slow down the Packers at Lambeau.
Meanwhile, the Packers offense was one dropped pass from putting 50 on the Vikings Sunday afternoon, and they have to like what they saw from Rodgers.
Head to our favorite pay per head bookie site at www.A1PPH.com
Free Pick: Packers -6 (-110)
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