NFL Thursday night: Week 4 opens with Lions at Packers for NFC North lead. And is an upset in play?
NFL WEEK 4
GREG COTE’S THURSDAY PICK
LIONS (2-1) at PACKERS (2-1)
Line: DET by 1.
Cote’s pick: GB, 24-20. Upset!
TV: 8:15 p.m., Prime Video.
This 188th all-time meeting of a storied rivalry is for the NFC North lead and finds Green Bay 28-4 against Detroit in the Lions’ past 32 trips to Lambeau Field. Motown is better than it has been in years, but that’s still a lot of baked-in negative mojo to make go away in prime time. That Detroit won the last trip to GB to end the 2022 season only adds to the Pack’s revenge incentive here because that knocked the Gee Bees from playoff contention. Still a very tough call in what basically is a tossup game, after Lions D held Packers to 25 total points in sweeping last year’s series. I’m leaning on the venue for this pick and also on our hopefulness that GB is trending to get RB Aaron Jones and WR Christian Watson — or at least one of them — back from injury. Jordan Love and his sad completion percentage especially need back Jones, his best target out of the backfield. This pick also likes Packers pass rush bothering Jared Goff as he operates behind a depleted offensive line.
[Note: Betting line courtesy Caesars Sportsbook as of midday Wednesday. Picks for remainder of Week 4 games will appear online Thursday afternoon and in print Friday] .
