Two NFC North titans will square off when the Detroit Lions (6-1) head to Lambeau Field for a crucial Week 9 showdown with the Green Bay Packers (6-2) on Sunday.
The Lions sit atop the best division in football and have won five straight games. Detroit leads the league in points per game (33.4) and has topped 30 points in four straight games, most recently in last week’s 52-14 rout of the Tennessee Titans.
The Packers are also on fire. They come in with four straight victories and have won three of their last four visits to Lambeau. Green Bay blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead last week, yet still edged the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-27 in Florida.
Each team is a bona fide Super Bowl contender. The Lions have the second-shortest Super Bowl odds (+600) at DraftKings behind the Kansas City Chiefs, while the Packers have the seventh-shortest odds (+1500).
With only half a game separating these two teams in the NFC North standings, this game could end up deciding which team wins the division. Here is how we expect this showdown to shake out and how to wager on it at our favorite NFL betting sites.
Game Details
- Matchup: Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
- Date: Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024 (Week 9)
- Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
- Location: Lambeau Field (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
- Watch: FOX
Odds Summary
- Moneyline: Lions -180, Packers +150
- Spread: Lions -3.5 (-108), Packers +3.5 (-112)
- Total: Over/Under 48.5 (-108/-112)
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook and subject to change.
Lions vs. Packers Moneyline
These are probably the two best teams in the NFC, especially with the way both are playing right now.
The Lions have crushed nearly every team in their path, winning their last four games by an average of 22.8 points. The Packers have been winning closer games, with three of their last four wins coming by fewer than six points. Both teams are undefeated in October.
Detroit has won two straight games at Lambeau Field but will be without game-wrecking EDGE rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who is out for the season with a broken leg. There’s also drama surrounding breakout wideout Jameson Williams, who is suspended for this game after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
But Green Bay may be short-handed too, as quarterback Jordan Love is questionable with a groin injury after leaving last week’s game early. Backup QB Malik Willis took over and led the Packers on a game-winning drive in his absence, improving to 3-0 this season.
Love reportedly expects to play, but may not be 100% against a tough Lions defense that’s eighth in points against per game (19.1) and fifth in rushing yards allowed per game (101.9).
Love is more than capable of beating Detroit by himself, since he basically did so on Thanksgiving last year. But if he’s hobbled, the Lions will have a clear edge.
Thus, we recommend taking Detroit on the moneyline.
Packers vs. Lions Spread
That pesky hook is a nuisance for bettors, so we’d prefer an alternate spread of Lions -3 or -2.5 if you’re backing Detroit.
But the Packers are 7-1 against a +3.5 spread this year, with the lone exception coming during their 34-29 Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The Lions are 5-2 against a -3.5 spread, but Green Bay has played in tight games all season.
Still, if you’re going to trust a team to win, you need to be able to trust it to do so by at least four points – even on the road against a division rival. Detroit has covered -3.5 in both of its last two wins over the Packers, so we’ll back the Lions to keep rolling and cover the spread on Sunday.
Packers vs. Lions Over/Under
This lofty total suggests a high-scoring game, which makes sense when you consider the quarterbacks in play. Goff has played like an MVP candidate and has the fourth-shortest odds (+800) at FanDuel, while Love is averaging almost 260 passing yards per game.
The Lions are averaging 43 points per game over their last four (the Over is 4-0 in that span), while the Packers have allowed at least 30 points in both of their losses. Green Bay also ranks sixth in points per game (27) despite Willis getting more than 30% of the snaps at quarterback.
This is a high bar to clear, but we recommend the Over in what may be a 31-24 or 31-27 type of game.
Packers vs. Lions Props
David Montgomery Anytime Touchdown Scorer (-130)
These are great odds for Montgomery, who is tied for third in rushing scores (seven) this season. The Packers may have a top-10 run defense (111.6 yards per game), but they’ve allowed seven rushing touchdowns in eight games.
The two-headed monster of Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have tormented opposing defenses, leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns (13). Gibbs (-110) is a great pick to score as well since he has seven touchdowns in seven games this year, including three TDs in the past two weeks.
Still, Montgomery gets all the short-yardage carries near the goal line and had four touchdowns against Green Bay last year, including three on the road.
Thus, backing Montgomery to score at least one TD is a must.
Tucker Kraft Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+180)
It’s tempting to back any of Green Bay’s wideouts to score a TD, but Kraft leads the team with five receiving touchdowns and should be a safety blanket for whichever quarterback suits up on Sunday. The tight end has at least one touchdown in four of the Packers’ last five games, emerging as one of Love’s favorite targets.
Despite allowing only six touchdowns through the air in seven games, Detroit is 20th in the NFL in passing yards against per game (247.6), a function of leading in so many games.
Dontayvion Wicks (+260) and Josh Jacobs (-115) are also intriguing scoring options for Green Bay. But when in doubt, go with the team leader to stay hot and find the end zone in a high-scoring game.
Packers vs. Lions Best Bets Summary
- Moneyline: Lions (-180). The road team has won the past three games in this series, and Detroit has won three of their past four meetings after Green Bay’s run of dominance during the Aaron Rodgers era. Look for the Lions’ reign to continue.
- Spread: Lions -3.5 (-108). There is legitimate angst in that hook, making an alternate spread a safer play. But if you think Detroit will win, it is still likely to do so by at least four points.
- Over/Under: Over 48.5 (-108). This is a high bar to clear, but these are two elite offenses, especially Detroit’s. The Lions may threaten the Over by themselves.
- David Montgomery Anytime Touchdown Scorer (-130). The Lions’ two-headed backfield monster has dominated this year, but we recommend Montgomery to score given his high usage in goal-line situations.
- Tucker Kraft Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+180). Green Bay’s pass-catchers are unheralded, but don’t sleep on Kraft, who’s tied for fourth in the NFL in receiving touchdowns (five).
