Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers 
: Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions for Week 1
FRIENDS! We made it! The NFL has returned, and things are off to a wild start. Thursday's game in Philly had a little bit of everything, and I suspect that is a harbinger of things to come this season as the road to Super Bowl 60 in Sourdough......er, I mean, Santa Clara, appears to be wide open. Once again, this faithful writer has been tasked to follow OUR Chicago Bears this season. Now, you may be saying "Uhhh, Eric, right division, wrong teams in your headline, buddy." And you would be correct. However, due to the mighty Bears appearing in prime time on Monday Night Football, my esteemed colleague and editor has the "honor" of covering them this week. So, what better way to pivot than to cover the other half of the NFC North with the clash between Detroit Kneecaps and the Green Bay Parsons? Let's get after it!
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Lions at Packers Odds
- Spread: GB -1.5 (@ ESPNBet) / DET +2.5 (@ DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Moneyline: GB -130 (@ ESPNBet) / DET +124 (@ DraftKings Sportsbook)
- Total: OVER 47 (@ BetMGM) / UNDER 47.5 (@ FanDuel Sportsbook)
This has been a fascinating line to study. When the lines for Week 1 first came out in May, the Packers were -1.5 and it stayed there until August 28. On that day, a certain defensive phenom was acquired by the Packers. Some books didn't move the line while some bumped it up a point to 2.5, providing value opportunities on both sides. As of Friday morning, 78 percent of bets, and a whopping percent, of the money is on Detroit, which signals to me the 2.5s out there won't last long. The total has been pretty steady throughout, and the weather in Green Bay looks to be idyllic, with temps in the mid-60s and light winds. Interestingly, folks are pounding the Under with 90 percent of bets and 77 percent of the money going there.
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Lions at Packers Betting Picks This Week
Let me say, I love this rivalry and I love Dan Campbell for breathing a dragon's breath of life back into the Lions franchise. Detroit has also been a money making machine under Campbell with an incredible 49-21-2 ATS mark the last four years, including a 17-6-1 ATS run within the NFC North. Tightening that further, Detroit is 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven games against Green Bay, and 3-0 ATS in their last three trips to Lambeau.
On the other side, I thought the Packers made a big splash at the right time for their franchise. This is a very young team, so trading high draft picks won't do as much harm, and the defense needed a jolt. However, it remains to be seen if Parsons can stay healthy for the long haul. There is zero debate on how talented he is, but there is a reason Jerry Jones didn't open his checkbook to lock down his defensive star. Does he know something we don't? Or, is he just cheap? It will be yet another intriguing story line to follow in what promises to be a season full of them.
Personally, I'm not attributing any line value with the addition of Parsons for Week 1. I'm not sold on Jordan Love, nor the Green Bay defense, and until both can prove they have taken another step, Detroit's dominance in the NFC North stands. The Lions don't sweat anyone, and they certainly don't fear the Lambeau mystique anymore. Therefore, I'm going to buy the value wherever I can find +2.5 with the Lions.
