Detroit, MI
Predictions: Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers
Nolan Bianchi, John Niyo, Richard Silva and Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News offer predictions for Thursday’s Lions-Packers game at Ford Field in Detroit (8:15 p.m., Fox, Amazon Prime/97.1).
▶ Nolan Bianchi: It’s not often you see an 11-1 team in a must-win game, but if the Lions are to uphold their aspirations of capturing the No. 1 seed in the NFC, this game is as close to a must-win as it gets. Green Bay is feeling awfully good about itself after winning three straight — the last two by double digits — and the Packers believe they were the better team in a 24-14 Lions victory at Lambeau Field in Week 9. Under those circumstances, I can’t help but go with a Dan Campbell-led team. He’s had the number of Packers coach Matt LaFleur since the 2022 season, and I don’t see this being a situation where Green Bay pounces on Detroit like they did in the Thanksgiving matchup at Ford Field between these teams a season ago. Detroit will be more than ready for the challenge after a close call with the Bears last week. Pick: Lions, 30-27
▶ John Niyo: The Lions have won five of the last six against the division-rival Packers. But that loss last year came at Ford Field, when Green Bay spoiled Detroit’s Thanksgiving with a wire-to-wire victory. This time, it’s a prime-time matchup with lots at stake and plenty of injury concerns for Dan Campbell’s team. That last part explains why Vegas has it essentially a toss-up aside from the home-field advantage. This looks like a different Green Bay squad than the one the Lions faced a month ago, as the Packers’ pass rush has emerged on one side of the ball, while Jordan Love has taken care of the football on the other. Unless Aaron Glenn’s crew finds a way to reverse that trend, their streak may be in jeopardy. Pick: Packers, 31-27
▶ Richard Silva: The Lions, despite their best start in franchise history, are far from a guarantee to win the NFC North, with the Packers and Vikings breathing down their necks. This matchup with Green Bay has obvious divisional implications, but it also matters in the race for the conference’s No. 1 overall seed; with a win, Detroit’s chances of earning the top spot will rise to 84%, per the New York Times’ playoff predictor. The question is whether this team can continue to overcome injury after injury. It’ll probably be close, but given the track record — Detroit is undefeated since losing Aidan Hutchinson, a feat that can’t be overstated — I’m not picking against head coach Dan Campbell’s squad. Pick: Lions 31, Packers 30
▶ Bob Wojnowski: It’s a blockbuster Thursday night game between two of the hottest teams in the league. The Lions have won 10 straight and the Packers have won seven of eight, with their only loss to the Lions. Difference is, Packers are among the healthiest and Lions are among the ouchiest (made-up word, I know). In the first meeting — the Lions’ 24-14 victory at Lambeau — Jordan Love was playing through a groin injury. In three straight wins since, he has a 69.1 completion percentage, five TD passes and one interception. Detroit’s injury-riddled defense will need all available resources, including the Ford Field noise. It starts with stopping Josh Jacobs, who’s rushed for 987 yards with a 4.5 per-carry average. The Lions certainly can match that with Jahmyr Gibbs (973 yards, 6.0) and David Montgomery (720 yards, 4.3). Jared Goff directs the NFL’s top-scoring offense, and improved red-zone efficiency will be paramount. Montgomery punches in two touchdowns and the Lions win a wild one. Pick: Lions, 32-29
Chickens and geese that went missing from a local nonprofit’s Detroit site were found in the backyard of a nearby home, the director of operations said Wednesday.
The Full Circle Foundation, a Grosse Point Park-based nonprofit, said more than a dozen chickens and geese were believed stolen from a chicken coop on Detroit’s east side that also features the Full Circle Edible Garden.
The nonprofit provides training and job opportunities for young people with special needs.
Neighbors who learned from news reports about the missing flock found the “chickens were being held in the backyard of a vacant home not far from the Full Circle Edible Garden,” said Stephanie DiVirgil, director of operations. She said Ribbon Farm 4-H owns the flock.
“The homeowner was contacted, and she reached out to Full Circle to confirm,” said DiVirgil. “We were able to retrieve all of the chickens and geese that were found on the property, 19 in total.”
The foundation and Ribbon Farms 4-H are working to secure the site, including cameras, fencing and lights.
“We will likely start a fundraising campaign to have these items installed,” DiVirgil said. “We’ve gotten amazing support from the community, including offers to help pay for these additional security measures.”
DETROIT (WXYZ) — Human remains were found in a furnace of an home on Detroit’s west side, the Detroit Police Department tells us.
The remains was found by an individual working on the home in the 5200 block of S Clarendon just after 11 a.m.
Anyone with information can call 313-596-2260 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-SpeakUp.
Stay with WXYZ.com for updates on this developing story.
The Detroit Police Department is investigating after a 5-year-old child was shot in the arm near a park on Tuesday.
The shooting happened at about 8:50 p.m. near the Fargo-Oaklfield Playground on the city’s west side. Police Chief Todd Bettison says the child was in front of his home riding a bike with his father supervising at the time of the shooting.
Bettison says an individual at the park fired multiple shots, striking the child. He says the boy’s father reported hearing shots and the child falling from his bike.
Bettison says the child is expected to be OK.
Bettison says the person appears to have been firing shots randomly, which he calls “problematic.” He says a person of interest is described as possibly between 15 and 16 years old and wearing a mask. He says the person is known to frequent the area.
“When you fire a weapon, what goes up must go down,” Bettison said. “To parents and everyone, know where your kids are. Juveniles should not have guns, and whether you’re an adult or a child, you should not be firing a weapon inside of the city limits.”
Detroit Mayor Mary Sheffield released a statement, saying in part, “By the grace of God, this young boy will recover from his injury and is on his way home from the hospital. With that said, this incident was senseless and could have had a much more tragic ending.
“Every child in Detroit deserves to feel safe riding their bike, playing outside, and simply being a child in their own neighborhood. We cannot accept a reality where our children are placed in harm’s way because someone chose to recklessly fire a gun.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-Speak Up.
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