In their second division battle in a row, the Detroit Lions (5-7) will look to play spoiler to the Green Bay Packers (9-3), who can clinch a playoff berth with a win this week.
The Packers have won their last three matchups with the Lions, including the Week 2 matchup earlier this season, where the Packers walloped the Lions 42-21. The Lions had no answers for Aaron Jones in that game, as he bullied his way to 236 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.
Last week, the Lions rallied behind interim head coach Darell Bevell pulling off a come behind victory and handing the Bears their sixth straight loss. The offense looked more up-tempo and brought an aggressive style approach that had been missing for a while. Even with the limitations on defense, they still made the necessary stops and key adjustments that helped turn the tide last week.
The Packers walked away with a victory of their own last week, beating the Philadelphia Eagles 30-16 behind Aaron Rodger’s three-touchdown performance. With a secured playoff berth on the line, the Packers will be looking to put this one away early and turn their focus to the postseason.
With the type of seasons each team is having, it is no surprise the experts have almost unanimous in their selections this week. According to NFL Pickwatch, 98-percent of the experts are favoring the Packers in the Week 14 division battle.
The Lions have an uphill battle this week against a very tough opponent, but if they can turn this game into be a high-scoring affair, it could be a very intriguing matchup. It will be tough for the Lions, no doubt about that, but if they play disciplined football and follow the key areas in this week’s Honolulu Blueprint, they could pull off a major upset.
