The final contest of the Week 2 NFL schedule arrives on Monday Night Football, featuring a pair of teams looking to bounce back from Week 1 losses. The Green Bay Packers welcome the Detroit Lions to Lambeau Field just one week after losing in surprising fashion to the New Orleans Saints. The Lions were upended by the San Francisco 49ers and now must face another top-flight NFC opponent.
Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. ET at Lambeau Field. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Packers as 11.5-point favorites, while the Over-Under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 48.5 in the latest Packers vs. Lions odds. Before you make any Lions vs. Packers picks and NFL predictions, make sure you see what SportsLine NFL expert R.J. White has to say.
CBS Sports’ Fantasy and gambling editor, White ended the 2020 season on an 80-59 run on all NFL picks, returning more than $1,400 during that span. It’s no surprise, as White has cashed huge twice in the world’s most prestigious football handicapping competition, the Las Vegas SuperContest.
In addition, White has gone an astounding 43-13 on his last 56 picks involving Green Bay, returning more than $2,800. Anyone who has followed him is way up.
Now, White has set his sights on Lions vs. Packers. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Now, here are several NFL betting lines and trends for Lions vs. Packers:
- Packers vs. Lions spread: Packers -11.5
- Packers vs. Lions over-under: 48.5 points
- Packers vs. Lions money line: Packers -550, Lions +400
- DET: Lions are 4-4 against the spread in the last eight road games
- GB: Packers are 6-4 against the spread in the last 10 home games
Why the Lions can cover
Detroit was fairly impressive offensively in Week 1, including a strong effort from new quarterback Jared Goff. He finished in the top five of the NFL in completions (38), passing yards (338) and passing touchdowns (three) last week and has a Super Bowl trip on his profile.
The Lions also have a top-flight pass-catching weapon at tight end in T.J. Hockenson. The former first-round pick caught eight passes for 97 yards and a touchdown last week. Detroit’s running game wasn’t dominant, but the Lions have a pair of intriguing pass-catchers out of the backfield in D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. Each had eight receptions in the opener to provide Goff with safety valve options. Green Bay’s defense struggled to the tune of 38 points allowed in Week 1 and, with the Packers struggling offensively in the opener, this is a very large point spread given Detroit’s talent.
Why the Packers can cover
Green Bay’s Week 1 hiccup was likely an outlier, as the Packers project to be a strong offensive team. The Packers led the NFL with 509 points last season, also ranking at the top of the league in scoring on 49.7 percent of their possessions and averaging 3.08 points per possession in 2020. Green Bay led the NFL in passing touchdowns (48) and interceptions (five), with the league’s best mark in avoiding turnovers (11) as a team.
The Packers project to be hyper-efficient, averaging 7.5 net yards per pass attempt last season, and Green Bay keeps the chains moving. The Packers converted 49.4 percent of their third downs in 2020, ranking No. 2 in the league, and it wasn’t only their pass offense that was effective. With Aaron Jones leading the way, Green Bay averaged 4.7 yards per carry, No. 7 in the NFL, and finished No. 8 with more than 2,100 rushing yards to go along with 21 rushing touchdowns.
How to make Packers vs. Lions picks
White has analyzed this matchup and while we can tell you he’s leaning over the total, he has discovered a critical X-factor that has him jumping all over one side of the spread. He’s only sharing what it is, and who to back, at SportsLine.
So who wins Lions vs. Packers on Monday Night Football? And what critical X-factor makes one side of the spread a must-back? Visit SportsLine now to see White’s Lions vs. Packers pick, all from the NFL expert who’s 43-13 on picks involving Green Bay, and find out.
