Sharp bettors back side in Lions-Packers ‘TNF’ game
The Detroit Lions have not won a division title since 1993, but they are road favorites to take an early lead in the NFC North against the Green Bay Packers on “Thursday Night Football.”
The Lions (2-1) are consensus 2-point favorites over the Packers (2-1) after the line opened at pick’em at the Westgate SuperBook and sharp money came in on Detroit. The total is 45.
“The Lions at pick was for sure sharp. Public is on that side, too,” SuperBook director John Murray said. “We need Green Bay.”
South Point sportsbook director Chris Andrews said he has been inundated with Detroit money, too.
“Mostly public. It’s all been Lions,” he said. “We definitely need the Packers at this point.”
Detroit is 2-1 against the spread, including covering as a 3-point favorite Sunday in a 20-6 win over Atlanta a week after it lost 37-31 in overtime to the Seahawks. The Lions are 2-1 to the under.
The Packers are 3-0 ATS against the closing number. The past two weeks, Green Bay was favored at various points leading up to the game before ending up as the underdog at kickoff. In Week 2, the Packers covered as 3-point underdogs in a 25-24 loss at Atlanta. Last week, the Packers rallied from a 17-0 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat New Orleans 18-17 as 1½-point underdogs.
The Packers are 2-1 to the over.
“The Lions should be 3-0 because of their overtime loss against Seattle, and the Packers should be 1-2 because the Saints blew a 17-point lead and missed a field goal at the end,” Caesars Sportsbook vice president of trading Craig Mucklow said.
The Lions have won three straight against the Packers, including knocking Green Bay out of the playoffs with a 20-16 victory in Week 18 last season.
“For years, Lambeau Field has been a house of horrors for Detroit. But things are changing,” Caesars assistant director of trading Adam Pullen said.
Jordan Love has completed only 53.1 percent of his passes (51 of 96) for 655 yards after replacing four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers. But Love has thrown for seven touchdowns and only one interception while rushing for 74 yards and a score.
Pullen and Mucklow have differing opinions on Love.
“Jordan Love’s looked great so far,” Pullen said. “You can’t argue with his start.”
But Mucklow did just that.
“The jury is still out for me,” he said. “I’m not going to crown him the new Aaron Rodgers yet.”
NFL Media reported Thursday that Packers running back Aaron Jones and wide receiver Christian Watson are expected to play, but the team will be cautious with their workload. It also reported that Lions running back David Montgomery is expected to play.
Detroit is -110 to win the NFC North at Circa Sports. Green Bay is close behind at +130, followed by a large gap to the division’s two 0-3 teams — Minnesota (9-1) and Chicago (52-1).
Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com. Follow @tdewey33 on X.
