The Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers are both in position to complete remarkable turnarounds with a playoff berth when the NFC North rivals meet on Sunday Night Football. The Lions (8-8), who defeated the Packers 15-9 in their first meeting, have a chance at their first playoff berth in six years. They need a win on Sunday and a loss or tie by the Seattle Seahawks against the Los Angeles Rams to reach the postseason. The Packers (8-8), who have won four straight following a 4-8 mark, simply need to win on Sunday and they'll be headed to the playoffs.
Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET from Lambeau Field. Green Bay is a 5-point favorite and the over/under for total points scored is 49 in the latest Lions vs. Packers odds from Caesars Sportsbook. Before locking in any Packers vs. Lions picks, make sure you check out the NFL predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up more than $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 18 of the 2022 NFL season on an incredible 160-113 run on top-rated NFL picks. dating to the 2017 season.
The model ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it has seen massive returns.
Now, the model has zeroed in on Lions vs. Packers from every angle and locked in its NFL picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are the NFL odds and betting trends for Lions vs. Packers:
- Lions vs. Packers point spread: Packers -5
- Lions vs. Packers over/under total: 49 points
- Lions vs. Packers money line: Packers -240, Lions +196
- DET: The Lions are 12-2 against the spread in their last 14 matchups against NFC North opponents
- GB: The home team has covered the spread in the past six meetings in this rivalry
- Lions vs. Packers picks: See picks here
Why the Packers can cover
Many football observers believe the Packers caught a major break, especially considering the stakes, when the NFL moved Sunday's game into primetime so it would be an isolated national showcase. The Packers are just 5-3 at Lambeau Field this year, but recent results suggest they are at their best when the spotlight shines the brightest.
Since the start of the 2019 season, Green Bay is 17-4 overall in primetime contests. That mark includes a 2-2 record in such games this season, but both wins came at home. Green Bay defeated the Chicago Bears, 27-10 in Week 2, and the Los Angeles Rams, 24-12 in Week 15, covering the spread in both contests. The primetime losses came on the road against the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles. See which team to pick here.
Why the Lions can cover
Detroit's recent resurgence on defense is largely due to the quiet development of one of the youngest and most talented defensive lines in the NFL. The group is led by coveted prospect Aidan Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick who thus far has lived up to the hype. Hutchinson has logged 7.5 sacks while also emerging as a solid run stopper with 48 total tackles. He is considered a candidate for Defensive Rookie of the Year and is the first rookie in NFL history to produce a season with at least 7.5 sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Even so, Hutchinson has had help from his teammates. In last week's 41-10 win over the Chicago Bears, fellow rookie pass rushers James Houston and Josh Paschal notched three and two sacks, respectively. It was the first time in franchise history that two rookies logged at least two sacks in the same game. Houston and Hutchinson are the first rookie teammates to each record at least seven sacks in a season. See which team to pick here.
How to make Lions vs. Packers picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 52 combined points. The model also says one side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Packers vs. Lions on Sunday Night Football? And which side of the spread hits well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Packers vs. Lions spread you need to jump on Sunday, all from the model on a 160-113 roll on NFL picks, and find out.
