The Lions journey to Lambeau Subject for an NFC North showdown with the Green Bay Packers Sunday.
Each the Packers (6-2), winners of 4 in a row, and the Lions (6-1), winners of 5 in a row, have been two of the NFC’s best possible groups in 2024.
Moreover, each groups function a top-10 scoring offense. By means of eight weeks, the Lions, led by veteran Jared Goff underneath heart, are averaging a league-best 33.4 factors per recreation. In the meantime, the Packers, spearheaded by fifth-year professional and second-year starter Jordan Love underneath heart, are averaging the sixth-most factors per contest (27.0).
Nonetheless, on Sunday, Green Bay might be with out Love (groin), who didn’t apply Wednesday.
Love, who sat out two video games earlier this season with a knee sprain, exited the Packers’ victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars final Sunday prematurely with a groin harm. He suffered the ailment on the sport’s opening drive, however did not exit the Week 8 matchup till halfway by Inexperienced Bay’s first drive of the second half.
Malik Willis, a 2022 third-round choose of the Tennessee Titans, entered the competition in reduction of Love. He proceeded to throw for 202 yards and a landing within the win. Plus, he added 73 yards and an extra rating as a runner.
Additionally, on the second play of Green Bay’s last drive of the sport, Willis related with receiver Jayden Reed on a 51-yard strike that in the end arrange Brandon McManus for a 24-yard, game-winning subject aim. It was McManus’ second walk-off kick for the Packers in as many weeks.
Willis, who has but to take a single snap in his profession towards Detroit, has accomplished 29-of-39 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns (zero interceptions) in 4 video games (two begins) this season. As well as, the Liberty product, amongst quarterbacks with a minimum of 15 dashing makes an attempt, leads the NFL in yards per carry at 8.6.
In the meantime, Love has 4 profession video games (two begins) underneath his belt vs. the Lions, and has thrown for 648 yards, 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions in these contests. And, on the season, he is accomplished 61.7 p.c of his passes for 1,547 yards and 15 touchdowns (versus 9 interceptions).
If Love cannot go Sunday, Lions head man Dan Campbell is aware of his protection can have its fingers full with the dual-threat Willis.
“Man, he is a harmful scrambler,” Campbell advised reporters Wednesday. “That’s the place it begins for him. His potential to generate explosives, getting out of the pocket and taking off, that’s the place he’s extraordinarily harmful.
“There on the finish of the sport (towards) Jacksonville, they run the little sneaky out the bottom to (Reed), who I feel is arguably their greatest receiver. … I imply, that received the sport. That one play proper there did it, and the remainder of it was simply to finish it out earlier than the sector aim. However, all of it begins along with his legs.”
Then, on the defensive facet of the ball, Green Bay has allowed the Eleventh-fewest factors per recreation (21.3). Together with that, the unit options a number of gamers with Pro Football Focus general grades of 74.9 and above: security Xavier McKinney (89.8), linebacker Eric Wilson (88.0), security Evan Williams (87.4) and cornerback Jaire Alexander (74.9). Each Alexander (knee) and Williams (hamstring), like Love, didn’t apply Wednesday, and could be important losses for the Packers’ protection towards the high-powered Lions.
At this current juncture, I am going to give Detroit a 54 p.c likelihood to depart Lambeau with the Week 9 victory.