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The Detroit Lions are playing like the best team in football right now. Detroit is averaging 33.4 points per game, with a staggering 43 points per game in their last four outings. The Lions have woken up on offense, and it has turned them into a true NFC juggernaut.
Detroit's defense was a problem in 2023, but now they are a perfect complement to the offense. The Lions are able to limit their opponents with their opportunistic defense, which has been great at forcing turnovers lately.
Now, the Lions are gearing up for their most important game since playing the undefeated Vikings a few weeks ago. Detroit is set to take on Green Bay in a game that could have massive implications in the NFC North later this season.
Can the Lions march into Lambeau Field and take care of business once again? Or will Detroit recreate history once again and lose a big game in Green Bay?
Here are three bold Lions predictions ahead of their hugely important Week 9 matchup against the Packers.
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Jared Goff cools down during his first outdoor game of the season
Lions QB Jared Goff has been playing out of his mind over the past four games. Goff started the season pretty streaky but has since gone on a tear of incredible performances.
Goff had a perfect game against the Seahawks and has not had a completion percentage below 72.0% since losing to the Buccaneers in Week 2. He is truly on pace for a career season and shows no signs of slowing down.
Personally, I feel like it is bound to happen sooner or later. This Week 9 matchup could be the game where Goff returns to normal. I'm not saying that Goff will suddenly start throwing interceptions and look like a pumpkin again. However, he may not look great on Sunday.
Of note, this is Goff's first outdoor game of the 2024 season. Goff is famously much better when playing indoors, though most QBs tend to be. This could be an interesting test to see how well Goff and the 2024 Lions can handle the elements.
My prediction: Jared Goff will have his lowest completion percentage and QB rating of the last five games. Let's also say he has at least one turnover, most likely a lost fumble after getting sacked.
David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combine for a season-high in receiving yards.
You'd have to be living under a rock to not know about this dynamic duo. Montgomery and Gibbs, who recently adopted the moniker of Sonic and Knuckles, are arguably the best running back duo in the NFL.
Every team that faces the Lions knows how important it is to slow down their running game. However, nobody has managed to neutralize these two dynamic running backs.
Something tells me that the Packers will commit however many resources they need to and deploy whatever scheme is needed to stop the Lions from running the football. Call it a hunch, but I don't see how the Packers can pull this off if they don't stop Gibbs and Montgomery.
That does not mean that Sonic and Knuckles will be non-factors, though. I foresee Ben Johnson and the Lions having a plan to utilize both backs in the receiving game if necessary.
My prediction: Gibbs and Montgomery will combine for their best receiving performance of the season. The best game so far was their 83 combined receiving yards against the Vikings a few weeks ago. Let's say they go for over 100 receiving yards and one touchdown.
Packers QB Jordan Love plays, gets sacked twice
Jordan Love's status for this game is currently unknown. At the time of writing, Love missed practice on Wednesday, but he did return to the practice field on Thursday. He is optimistic about being able to play, but this feels like a situation where we have to wait until Sunday to get the final answer.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur has been consistent in his view of injury risk. He does not want to risk a long-term injury for Love if he does not feel Love can protect himself on the field.
This game is too important to simply hand it to Malik Willis.
My prediction: Jordan Love does start for the Packers against the Lions on Sunday. His reduced mobility will result in at least two sacks from the Lions defense. If this happens, the Lions probably win this game.
