Lions vs. Packers Point Spread: NFL Week 18 Odds, Prediction
The Packers have seized control of their playoff destiny during a four-game win streak, capped by last weekend’s 41-17 rout of the Minnesota Vikings, and can lock up a playoff berth simply by claiming victory on Sunday night. The Lions also remained in the hunt with a dominating win last weekend, crushing Chicago in a 41-10 rout that lifted them to 7-2 in their past nine games. However, the Lions need the Seattle Seahawks to lose in their date with the Rams earlier in the day on Sunday, combined with a victory on Sunday night, to punch their ticket to the postseason for the first time since 2016.
There has been no movement in the betting line since it opened with the Packers perched as 4.5-point favourites on the NFL odds, with Green Bay garnering the support of a razor-thin 53 per cent majority of sports bettors. Conversely, the total fluctuated after opening at 48.5 before settling at 49.5, with the OVER attracting 77 per cent of the betting action.
NFL Point Spread and Betting Analysis
Sunday night’s matchup at Lambeau Field marks the second and final meeting of the season between these century-old NFC North rivals. The Lions eked out a narrow 15-9 win when they hosted Green Bay back in Week 9, and have now won two straight in head-to-head action. However, the Lions are winless in three trips to Green Bay, with their two most recent defeats coming by wide double-digit margins.
Detroit has also struggled when playing in primetime, losing 15 of their past 20, and is a dismal 1-5-1 in seven road clashes with the Packers under the lights since 1971. However, the Packers have not fared much better, going 1-3 straight up in four primetime games this season.
Detroit Lions
With their playoff fate in the hands of the Seahawks, Sunday’s season finale could go either way for the resurgent Lions. Losers in six of their first seven dates of the season, Detroit has managed to maintain their impressive offensive performance while shoring up their defence during their current 7-2 run.
The squad has racked up an average 30.6 points per game over their past eight outings, and now sport the fourth highest scoring offence in the NFL. Quarterback Jared Goff deserves considerable credit for the team’s turnaround. Goff has connected on 10 scoring passes over the past four weeks, and has developed chemistry with Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has averaged 89.4 receiving yards over the past eight weeks. However, St. Brown has not made a scoring catch in four outings.
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers showed no signs of the nagging toe injury that hobbled him for several weeks earlier in the season while leading the Packers to last weekend’s rout of the Vikings. Rodgers tossed for 159 yards and one touchdown while running for a second score, and has now compiled 14 total touchdown passes in eight home games so far this season.
However, the real star of last week’s win was the packers defence, which slammed the door on Minnesota pivot Kirk Cousins, who completed just 18 of 31 pass attempts while tossing for one score against three picks in the loss. Overall, Green Bay has now surrendered just 17 points per game during their four-game surge, and will be once again counted on to stand tall in a crucial game that not only will determine playoff fates, but which could also represent Rodgers’ last appearance at Lambeau.
DET
GB