Experts release first-look Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions Thursday Night Football prediction after Josh Jacobs limited in Monday’s practice – syracuse.com
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Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, left, is tackled by Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during the first half of an NFL football game in Green Bay. Jacobs was a limited participant in Monday’s practice on December 1st, 2024, causing doubt as to his availability on Thursday Night Football.AP
The Green Bay Packers will face off against the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football in Week 14 of the NFL season at Ford Field on Thursday. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. EST.
On Monday, running back Josh Jacobs was listed as a limited participant in Green Bay’s first Week 14 injury report due to a calf injury. While Jacobs will surely be motivated to suit up for Thursday’s NFC North rivalry game, NFL bettors are now preparing for a scenario in which Green Bay’s backup running backs Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks wil be called on to handle the Packers’ rushing load by committee, the most likely scenario if Jacobs were to miss the game.
Meanwhile, Amon-Ra St. Brown and David Montgomery did not appear on the Lions’ first practice report of Week 14. This is a welcome change for Lions fans, as both St. Brown and Montgomery appeared on Detroit’s Week 13 injury reports before ultimately being cleared to play on Thanksgiving.
In light of these updates, the data analysts at Dimers conducted 10,000 simulations of the Packers-Lions matchup on Monday evening, accounting for Green Bay and Detroit’s roster updates. The results were compared to current NFL betting odds to inform the data-driven Packers vs Lions betting guide below.
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This preview includes Dimers’ best bets and predicted scoreline for the Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions. Fans of both teams can unlock a variety of betting boosts for today’s game with these betting deals from FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, and Caesars Sportsbook, while BetMGM′s $1,500 Cyber Monday deal has emerged as the most popular NFL betting promo for local Packers and Lions fans.
Packers vs. Lions betting preview
Explore the interactive widget below to see the current spread, over/under, and moneyline odds and probabilities for the Packers-Lions game at Ford Field.
Check out all the important details on today’s game, as well as the best odds sourced from the top sportsbooks in the country.
Game details
The key information you need before the Packers vs. Lions NFL game.
Odds
Odds for the key markets in the Packers-Lions NFL showdown.
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Spread: Packers +3 (-112), Lions -3 (-108)
Moneyline: Packers +130, Lions -155
Total: Over/Under 48 (-108/-112)
The odds and lines featured here are the best available from selected sports betting sites at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Expert prediction: Packers vs. Lions
Leveraging state-of-the-art data analysis and machine learning, the experts at Dimers have performed 10,000 simulations of Thursday’s Packers vs. Lions matchup.
According to Dimers’ famous predictive analytics model, the Lions are more likely to beat the Packers at Ford Field. This prediction is based on the model giving the Lions a 61% chance of winning the game.
Elsewhere on the betting board, Dimers predicts that the bookmakers have got it right and the Packers and Lions each have a 50% chance of covering the spread, while the 48-point over/under has a 52% chance of going over.
These predictions and probabilities are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to potential changes.
Packers vs. Lions best bet
Our top pick for the Packers vs. Lions Week 14 NFL game is to bet on Over 48 points (-108).
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This betting advice is based on detailed simulations and valuable wagering intelligence, designed to assist you in making more informed decisions.
Score prediction for Packers vs. Lions
Dimers’ predicted final score for the Green Bay vs. Detroit game on Thursday has the Lions winning 25-22.
This expert prediction is based on each team’s average score following 10,000 game simulations, offering a glimpse into the potential outcome.
NFL Week 14: Packers vs. Lions
Get ready for Thursday’s game between the Packers and Lions in Week 14 of the National Football League season at Ford Field, which is scheduled to start at 8:15 p.m. EST. We emphasize that all of the NFL predictions and NFL best bets in this article are derived from 10,000 data-driven simulations of the Packers vs. Lions matchup, and they are accurate at the time of publication. They aim to assist you make more informed choices when placing bets at online sportsbooks.
Please remember to gamble responsibly and consult trustworthy sources for the latest and most accurate information when making online betting decisions.
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The free agency tampering period has begun for the NFL, and the Detroit Lions are among the active teams acquiring players as they try to get back to the playoffs after they did not meet their own standard for last season.
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On Monday, it was revealed that 2025 Lions backup quarterback Kyle Allen was heading to Buffalo, leaving another hole in the roster to fill. Nearly 24 hours later, that hole has been filled, as veteran quarterbackTeddy Bridgewater is heading back to Motown.
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Bridgewater spent the 2023 season with Detroit, in what initially was going to be his final season in the league.
However, after coaching Miami Northwestern Senior High School to a state championship in Florida during the 2024 season, he announced he was planning to unretire, and Detroit picked him up for their push towards the top seed in the NFC.
Bridgewater then resigned as head coach at Miami Northwestern and signed with Tampa Bay to backup Baker Mayfield last season.
He appeared in four games last season, throwing 15 passes for the Buccaneers, which were his first NFL pass attempts since 2022.
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Bridgewater is a safe option at backup quarterback in Detroit, as the former Rookie of the Year has had a steady career since entering the league with Minnesota out of Louisville in 2014.
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Bridgewater returns to back up Jared Goff under new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, as this is a situation where Detroit stuck with a player they knew. For Petzing, this is not the first time coaching Teddy Bridgewater, as he was an offensive assistant with Minnesota when they drafted Bridgewater in 2014.
A leg injury derailed his career after a Pro Bowl season in 2015, but he has started 37 games since the injury as a journeyman. Bridgewater left Minnesota and Drew Petzing and would overlap with Dan Campbell when the quarterback played for New Orleans in 2018 and 2019. In addition to Minnesota, New Orleans, Tampa Bay, and Detroit, Bridgewater has also played for Carolina, Denver, and Miami.
Detroit stuck with a safe and familiar option in Bridgewater, as a majority of their offense, alongside most of their offensive staff, have worked with the quarterback before. If Bridgewater is turned to in any situation, there will be full confidence in the Louisville product to make the right play.
NFL Draft Implications
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This puts Detroit in a unique position when looking ahead towards the NFL Draft, as a popular mock draft pick for Detroit was taking a quarterback, with Cole Payton, Luke Altmyer, and Taylen Green all being among the names mentioned.
Bridgewater is an excellent mentor alongside Goff, but having three quarterbacks on the Lions roster after injury-riddled campaigns in the last two seasons may not be the wisest allocation of a roster spot.
For the time being, Detroit has their backup quarterback for the season, and there is not a better option than Bridgewater when it comes to familiarity and adaptability. While the former Pro Bowl quarterback has yet to throw a pass in Detroit, he has the familiairity and trust of the coaching staff to be a backup entering a pivotal year.
How to anonymously submit a tip to Crime Stoppers of Michigan
Here are the three ways to submit a tip to Crime Stoppers of Michigan safely and anonymously: by phone, online, and through the P3 Tips mobile app.
Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.
Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.
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Here’s what to know:
Shooting outside cocktail bar
“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.
The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.
Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.
There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.
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Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.
Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?
Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.
He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.
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His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.
More: Slain Detroit Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur Mike Brown was dad, ‘legend’
When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?
A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.
What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?
Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.
How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting
Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.
Former Detroit Lions QB Hendon Hooker reflects on his time in Detroit
Former Lions QB Hendon Hooker joins to discuss his time in Detroit and Amon-Ra St. Brown’s skill on the basketball court.
The Detroit Lions will need to find a new backup quarterback. Kyle Allen, the 30-year-old ninth-year veteran, will reportedly sign with the Buffalo Bills for two years and $4.1 millions, according to ESPN, reuniting him with his former coordinator Joe Brady.
Allen, who came to the Motor City a year ago after inking a one-year deal, appeared in just three games and attempted two passes this past season as starter Jared Goff logged 98.5% of the team’s offensive snaps at quarterback.
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Allen’s greatest contribution came in the preseason, when he forced the organization to give up on its experiment with Hendon Hooker.
CADE MAYS GRADE: Lions signing a smart move for 2 different reasons
In the competition for the No. 2 job, Allen outperformed Hooker and made the former 2023 third-round pick expendable by bringing his stunted development into sharp relief. While Hooker struggled to move the offense when he was in command, Allen thrived in his four auditions, spearheading one productive drive after another for the Lions. He completed 79.5% of his attempts, throwing for 401 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions. All the while, he exhibited a good understanding of the Lions’ timing-based passing game, giving management the confidence he could – if needed – relieve Goff in a pinch.
“I feel very comfortable with him,” Campbell said last August.
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But as it turned out, the Lions were never forced to call upon Allen. Goff, who hasn’t missed a start since Week 17 of the 2021 season, remained reliably present.
The Lions hope Goff’s iron-man streak will continue.
But if it for some reason ends, Allen is no longer there to replace him.
Contact Rainer Sabin at rsabin@freepress.com. Follow him @RainerSabin on X.
