Never has the NFC North been so competitive this late in the season.
As the calendar moved to December, four clubs in the conference had won nine or more games. Three of them are from the NFC North: the 11-1 Lions, the 10-2 Vikings, and the 9-3 Packers.
This makes intra-division contests more vital than ever. And the Lions are in the midst of a three-game divisional stretch in four weeks.
This week, the Packers travel to Ford Field. Here is a look at the Lions’ Week 14 game:
‘Good vibes’
The Lions have won 10 straight games and can set the franchise record for consecutive wins with a victory on Thursday But they aren’t the only NFC North team on a win streak.
The Packers have won three straight games, the last two by multiple scores while putting up 30-plus points. Their only loss since September is their Nov. 3 game against the Lions; they’ve won their other seven games in the stretch following a 2-2 start. Their only losses are to the top three teams in the NFC: the Lions, Eagles and Vikings.
“We’re on a little bit of a win streak, so we want to keep that rolling,” Packers quarterback Jordan Love said, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette.
“There’s definitely some good vibes going around the locker room right now.”
No worse for wear
The Packers are playing an identical schedule stretch as the Lions: three games in 12 days, due to back-to-back Thursday games.
But while the Lions’ injury list is long amid a condensed schedule stretch late in the season, the Packers are surprisingly healthy, given the circumstances.
Only two players, linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and cornerback Corey Ballentine, missed the team’s Monday practice, while a pair of starters, receiver Romeo Doubs and cornerback Jaire Alexander, returned to practice.
That stands in stark contrast to the injury-filled Packers team that came to Ford Field last Thanksgiving and pulled off an upset win.
And it stands in contrast to a beat-up Lions team, particularly on defense. Mekhi Wingo, Josh Paschal and Levi Onwuzurike are the most recent names to Detroit’s long injured list, particularly on defense.
A healthier, better Jordan Love
The last time the Lions and Packers played, all pregame speculation centered around Love and his injured groin. Love ultimately played but was clearly less than 100 percent when the Lions beat the Packers, 24-14 at Lambeau.
Now, though, Love is healthy and playing as well as he has all season. In the three games following Green Bay’s loss to Detroit (the Packers had a bye after that matchup) Love has completed nearly 70 percent of his passes with five touchdowns against one interception. The Packers have won all three of those games and put up at least 30 points in their last two.
