Prime-Time First TD Bets — Sunday Night Football, Week 16
Alex Christenson
The Green Bay Packers return home to Lambeau Field for Week 2 of the NFL season after getting their butts handed to them by the New Orleans Saints and face an old reliable foe in the Detroit Lions. The Lions were left for dead vs. the 49ers, and while they still managed to cover the +8 spread, it will likely be an uphill battle to keep pace with the Packers. Green Bay opened as 10.5-point favorites to shake off their ugly loss vs. New Orleans.
Detroit Lions vs. Green Bay Packers Week 2 odds
Date/Time: September 19, 8:20 p.m. ET
Arena: Lambeau Field
How to watch: NBC
Opening odds: Green Bay -10.5 | O/U 49.5 (BetMGM)
Latest Lions-Packers odds
Looking for the latest odds for this matchup? Here they are, with the best prices from various sportsbooks showing first.
Opening odds – Lions vs. Packers
After closing as 3.5-point road favorites vs. the Saints, oddsmakers aren’t making too big of a deal of the Packers losing handily, opening them as 10.5-point faves in Week 2. That’s because they’re hosting the Detroit Lions, who they beat 42-21 last year during Week 16. Early bettors think a double-digit beatdown is coming for Detroit with nearly 70% of the action on Green Bay covering the number.
As for the total, it opened at 49.5 with a lot of early action on the OVER. That’s likely because the early bettors are expecting last year’s top offense to bounce back in a big way while also giving credit to the Lions for still managing to put up 33 points at home vs. the 49ers after being left for dead.
Quarterback analysis – Jared Goff vs. Aaron Rodgers
When Jared Goff got sent to Detroit for the Matthew Stafford trade, most analysts and bettors felt it would be a huge dropoff at quarterback. Well, Goff was actually serviceable in his first game in the Motor City, even if his passing stats were skewed from garbage time. Goff completed 66.7% of his passes, threw three touchdowns and 338 yards. Almost Stafford-esque.
The problem was that most of that offense was generated when the Lions were already down by 20-plus points, but if Goff can hang tough in the pocket, he should be able to keep this Detroit team hanging around just enough to entice +10.5 spread bettors.
As for Aaron Rodgers, he may have just had his worst game as a professional NFL quarterback. 133 passing yards and 56% completion percentage isn’t typical for a man of Rodgers’ talents, but he’s usually due for a one road clinker per season. In 2020, Rodgers and the Packers went to Tampa Bay and got hammered 38-10, and he only had 160 passing yards and two interceptions.
He came out firing in the next game vs. Houston and rebounded with 4 passing touchdowns and Green Bay won 35-20. If you’re worried about whether Rodgers will bounce back, allow the reigning NFL MVP to explain with a “R-E-L-A-X” and try not to overreact to a bad road loss.
Latest Lions betting news & info
After backdooring a +9.5 spread vs. the 49ers, the Lions were one of the belles of the ball for Week 1. Through 15 games, underdogs covered the spread in 11 of them and it was because of insane results like the Lions-Niners for why it’s hard to fade a home dog. Even though Detroit failed to cover the spread in Green Bay last season, they’re 4-2 ATS in their last six trips to Lambeau. Not exactly inspiring but worth noting.
Defensively is where the Lions need some work. They allowed an average of 17.7 yards per reception and made some costly mistakes like allowing a fumble into the end zone to close the first half. If the passing defense doesn’t show up in Green Bay, it could be a long night facing Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams.
Latest Packers betting news & info
After going 7-1 SU and 5-3 ATS in eight home games last season, the Green Bay Packers have to come out and make a statement in Week 2 vs. the Lions. A lot of drama in the offseason could lead to more speculation about rifts in the locker room and Aaron Rodgers’ engagement level after pushing for a trade.
That said, on paper, this should be a blowout. The Packers have elite offensive weapons that can exploit any defense and bettors will likely see a heavy dose of RB Aaron Jones and WR Davante Adams in the game plan. Adams led the NFL in receiving touchdowns last year while Jones rushed for over 1,100 yards and nine TDs on the ground. If the Packers offense shows up in Week 2, it’s not out of the question for them to win this game by 20 or more points as the Lions may be running on fumes after such a late effort to catch up to San Francisco.
Lions vs. Packers betting picks – NFL Week 2
Although most of the public action is on Green Bay -10.5, I’m not certain I can lay such a large number this early in the year. The Packers “should” win this game by 20 points or more but we’re either seeing a season from hell from Green Bay or a late-game mirage from the Lions. I lean to the former but don’t feel confident enough to take a side. Instead, I think O49.5 points is the best play. I think both teams will reconfigure their offenses and make a splash to get this to 50 or more points.
Here are our betting picks for Giants vs. Washington in Week 1.
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