The Packers and the Lions will head into their Week 2 clash in different spirits. The hosts produced a magnificent attacking showing in the dismantling of Minnesota Vikings, while the Lions fell just four-point shy to the Bears on the home patch. Everything works in favor of the hosts here and the home win seems to be a banker bet at -250 odds. Nevertheless, we take a look at whether the visitors have any chance of causing their NFC North rivals troubles at Lambeau Field.
Green Bay Packers – Another Easy Win?
The Packers are massive favorites here not only because they demolished Minnesota last weekend. They have been the dominant NFC North figure for years and they’ve won 12 of the last 13 home openers since 2007. They generally enjoyed a strong campaign in the previous season, winning 13 out of 16 matches in the regulation. The team had an almost perfect record at home where Green Bay clinched seven wins and just one loss in the process. Obviously, this is a whole new season, but we can hardly assume there is anyone capable of dethroning the Packers in the NFC North. One game of the 2020 campaign does not reveal much, but if we are to judge the rest of the season by it, the aforementioned statement couldn’t be more accurate.
Minnesota Vikings were expected to push Aaron Rodgers to the limits last weekend. The Vikings have push rushers known for terrorizing the rivaling quarterback and you’d generally have to work hard to pass the 20-point mark against them. Nonetheless, the Packers have not done just that. They bagged an impressive 43 points as Aaron Rodgers finally looked like an old Aaron Rodgers. The two-time MVP quarterback inspired a demolishing display from his offensive squad which has produced more than 500 yards on the day. Rodgers completed 36 passes for four touchdowns. Davante Adams caught a career-high 14 passes for an impressive 156 yards and two touchdowns. His colleague Marquez Valdes-Scantling had four major catches (two directly leading to a score) for 96 yards. We can’t wait to see Matt LaFleur’s inspired attacking line in action on Sunday. Based on what we saw in Week 1, there's no other pick but the home moneyline bet at -250 odds in this one.
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Detroit Lions – A Change Gravely Needed
The Lions finished the previous campaign rock-bottom of the NFC North. They won just three games all season long. However, it is also important to say that Detroit had the lead or tie in the 4th quarter in as many as 11 outings in the process. Clutch time has obviously been a significant issue. Sadly, nothing has changed for the 2020 campaign, at least judging by the very opening week. The Lions were once again unable to close out the game they had in their hands. They gave up as many as 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter allowing a disappointing 23-27 defeat to the Bears.
The quarterback failed to cross the 300-yard mark, made two terrible calls, one of which led to a sack and the other to interception, and he yet had an opportunity to close it out in the dying seconds of the affair against Chicago. He did his part of the job on the penultimate play but rookie running back D’Andre Swift couldn’t hang on to his pass. He then failed to find Marvin Jones Jr. in the last move of the game. The Lions will thus travel to Lambeau Field low on confidence after a gut-wrenching defeat. The good news for them might be the lack of pressure as they are about to battle one of the strongest sides in the whole league on Gameweek 2. Can Stafford and his offensive troops do better under such circumstances? On the other side, the team’s defense will be on a massive test against a team that has put on a real show against the rock-solid Vikings defense last time out.
