ALLEN PARK — After losing three straight, the Detroit Lions (3-4) need a win at Green Bay tonight.
It’s the first of three divisional games in the next four weeks and it’s key.
It’s too early to be a must-win game except that it kind of is.
A Detroit win will put the Lions at 4-4 and the Packers at 4-4. Then the Lions host the woeful Cleveland Browns (0-8) the next week before moving onto Chicago (3-5) and then will host the Minnesota Vikings (6-2) on Thanksgiving.
No NFC North team can be overlooked. In fact, it could be a killer to lose to the Browns (0-8) next Sunday at Ford Field.
With nine games remaining the Lions will face just one team with a winning record and that’s the Vikings. They play at Baltimore (4-4) on Dec. 3, at Tampa Bay (2-5) on Dec. 10 and at Cincinnati (3-4) on Dec. 24.
(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)
The Lions last won at Lambeau on Nov. 15, 2015.
It’s been a tough stretch facing Aaron Rodgers in one of the NFL’s most historic stadiums. Rodgers, who is 13-3 against the Lions, is out and Brett Hundley is in. Still the Lions cannot overlook this team. Hundley has been off to a rocky start with one touchdown and four interceptions since Rodgers was carted off with a broken collarbone.
“I love it. I love playing there. There’s a ton of history there, a bunch of great players have played there, a bunch of great games have happened there. I’ve been in some wild ones there on the winning side, on the losing side,’’ quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “I’ve been through a lot at that place, but I enjoy playing there.”
Last year the Packers won the NFC North and the Lions earned the wild-card berth. It went down to the Week 17.
The Packers play at Ford Field in Week 17 this year. There’s a chance Rodgers could be back. Again, it could be a huge game for both teams.
Meanwhile best to take care of business tonight.
BONUS: Captains for tonight are T.J. Lang (former Packer), Travis Swanson, Tahir Whitehead and Matt Prater.
Lions Lowdown 