Greg Cote’s Thursday NFL pick: Packers over Lions
PACKERS (7-4) at LIONS (4-7)
Line: GB by 3
Cote’s pick: GB 27-20
TV: 8:25 p.m. Thursday, NFL (airing in South Florida)
Detroit might be favored here if recent performance outweighed public perception. Lions have won three in a row with resurgent defense and a hot Matthew Stafford and, after beating Pack 18-16 last month, are in position to sweep a season series against their division rival for first time since 1991. Detroit has won three of past four meetings. Oppositely, the slumping Gee Bees have been 1-4 since that 6-0 start, with the great Aaron Rodgers seeming pretty ordinary lately. Time for these teams’ directions to reverse field and find their normalcy, though. Bet on a big game from Rodgers and a couple of picks by Stafford.