The Green Bay Packers will play their second-to-last NFC North game of the season when they take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Dating back to 1970, this will be the third time the Packers have played a primetime game at Detroit (Thursday, Oct. 15, 1998 and Monday, Oct. 16, 1972).
Green Bay and Detroit will be facing off for the second time in four games. The last time the Packers played the same opponent twice in four or fewer games in a single regular season was in 2012, and it was against the Lions in a four-game span.
Dating back to 2006, this will be the fifth time Green Bay has played the same team twice in four games or less during the regular season (2011, MIN, twice in three games / 2010, MIN, twice in three games / 2009, MIN, twice in four games). In the previous four occurrences, the Packers have won the second game three times.
This is the first time the Packers have played on consecutive Thursdays since 2007 (Weeks 12-13, Detroit and Dallas).
Green Bay is 8-5 at Ford Field, a .615 winning percentage that ranks No. 1 among teams that have played five or more games there.
The Packers lead the regular-season series 95-68-7 (.579) and have won both postseason contests the two have played. Green Bay’s 95 wins over the Lions are the most the Packers have against any team.
The rivalry kicked off in 1930 at City Stadium in Green Bay, a 47-13 Packers win. Two seasons later, the teams began a yearly series. Thursday marks meeting No. 173 in the all-time series (including playoffs).
Green Bay has a 15-4 mark (.789) against the Lions under Head Coach Mike McCarthy.
Of the 15 wins over Detroit, nine have been decided by 10 points or more, including four by more than 20 points.
The Packers have won 16 of the last 20 against Detroit and 24 of the last 30 in the series.
QB Aaron Rodgers has led the Packers to 10 wins in 13 games against the Lions, completing 264 of 397 passes for 3,280 yards, 24 touchdowns and five interceptions with passer rating of 106.8.
Rodgers has recorded a 100-plus passer rating nine times against Detroit.
On Thursday, Green Bay will wrap up a four-game stretch against division opponents, with all four games taking place in the span of 19 days.
It is the first time Green Bay has played four straight games against division opponents in a single season since 2000 (Weeks 14-17).
Green Bay returns to Lambeau Field in Week 14 for a matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Dec. 13.
WITH THE CALL
Thursday night’s game will be televised to a national audience on CBS and NFL Network with play-by-play man Jim Nantz and analyst Phil Simms handling the call from the broadcast booth and Tracy Wolfson reporting from the sidelines.
In Wisconsin, CBS affiliates around the state, including WFRV (Ch. 5) in Green Bay and WDJT (Ch. 58) in Milwaukee, will carry the Thursday night contest.
Milwaukee’s WTMJ (620 AM), airing Green Bay games since November 1929, heads up the Packers Radio Network that is made up of 50 stations in five states. Wayne Larrivee (play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro Bowler Larry McCarren (color) call the action. McCarren first joined the team’s broadcasts in 1995 and enters his 21st season calling Packers’ games. McCarren has four times been voted Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association. After originally being paired together in 1999, McCarren and Larrivee enter their 17th season of broadcasts together.
Westwood One Sports will air the game across the country. Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Tim Ryan (analyst) will call the action and Scott Graham will host pre-game and halftime shows.
The broadcast is also available on Sirius Satellite Radio (WTMJ feed).
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
The Packers are looking to win their fifth consecutive road game against an NFC North team. Dating back to 2002, It would tie for the longest road division winning streak by the Packers during the regular season (2006-07 and 2011-12).
If the Packers win, they will finish 3-0 on the road against the division for the fourth time (2011, 2006, 2004) since the NFC North was formed in 2002.
Green Bay has won four of the last six games it played on Thursday nights.
Green Bay has won seven of its last nine NFC North games.
The Packers are looking to improve to 6-3 against NFC teams this season.
Under Head Coach Mike McCarthy, the Packers are 78-37-1 against NFC opponents during the regular season. Green Bay’s 78 wins are eight more than any other team over that span (New Orleans, 70-46).
Green Bay has posted seven zero-turnover game this season. That is tied for No. 2 in franchise history (since 1933), matching the mark posted in 2014 and trailing only 2009 (eight).
The Packers have allowed a total of 23 first-half points over the last three games (7.7 per game).
Dating back to 1963, the Packers’ three six-plus sack games ties a single-season franchise record (1966, 1978, 1991).
Green Bay rushed for a season-high 177 yards (6.3 avg.) in Week 12 versus Chicago. It was the Packers’ highest output since a 179-yard effort on the ground last season in Week 14.
Under McCarthy, Green Bay is 26-12 (.684) during the month of December. Green Bay’s .684 winning percentage is No. 4 in the NFL over that span.
The Packers have won six of the last eight games they have played in the month of December.
OFFENSE
If QB Aaron Rodgers throws for 300-plus yards, it will be the 44th 300-yard passing game of his career during the regular season.
Rodgers is No. 2 in the NFL with six games this season with two-plus touchdown passes and zero INTs (New England QB Tom Brady, seven).
For his career, Rodgers has thrown 92 touchdowns, 18 interceptions and a has a passer rating of 110.2 against NFC North teams during the regular season. His passer rating ranks No. 1 in NFL history against division foes (min. 536 pass att.).
Dating back to 2014, Rodgers has not thrown an interception in 21 of the last 27 regular-season games, including 10 of the last 13. The Packers are 18-3 in those games.
Since the start of the 2014 season, Rodgers has thrown 62 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
WR Randall Cobb needs one catch to extend his streak of consecutive regular-season games with a reception to 52, which would pass Greg Jennings (2009-12) for fifth-longest streak in franchise history.
Over the last two weeks, RB Eddie Lacy recorded back-to-back 100-yard rushing games for the first time in his career (100 and 105 yards).
Lacy’s 205 rushing yards over the last two games are the fourth highest total in the NFL in Weeks 11-12.
Last week, Lacy averaged 6.2 yards on 17 carries, the fourth time in his career he averaged over 6 yards a carry in a game when recording 15 or more attempts, which is tied (MIN RB Adrian Peterson, PIT RB Le’Veon Bell) for the third most in the NFL since 2013 (PHI/BUF RB LeSean McCoy, eight, DAL/PHI RB DeMarco Murray, five).
Lacy posted a 25-yard touchdown against the Bears in Week 12, giving him a touchdown in all six career games vs. Chicago. He is tied with Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald (six games vs. Philadelphia) for the longest current touchdown streak in the league against one opponent to start a career.
RB James Starks has set new career bests in receptions (30), receiving yards (292) and receiving touchdowns (two) this season.
DEFENSE
Over the last three games, S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has 28 tackles (24 solo), an interception and a sack.
CB Quinten Rollins registered his first career sack last week against Chicago.
LB Clay Matthews has 13 career games with two or more sacks. He is one shy of tying Tim Harris (14, 1986-90) for No. 3 in team history (Reggie White, 16; Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila, 15).
LB Julius Peppers leads the team with 6.0 sacks this season. Dating back to last season (including playoffs), Peppers has 11 sacks in the last 15 games.
Peppers needs one sack to tie New York Giants LB Lawrence Taylor and San Diego/St. Louis/Kansas City DE Leslie O’Neal (132.5) for 12th most in NFL history (since 1982).
SPECIAL TEAMS
WR Jeff Janis has recorded two kickoff returns of 60-plus yards (64, 70) in four attempts over the last two games. He became the first Packer to post a kickoff return of 60-plus yards in back-to-back games since WR Robert Brooks in 1993 (Oct. 3-Oct. 10).
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Janis is the first NFL player since Houston Oilers CB Willie Tullis in 1981 to have two kickoff returns of 60-plus yards in his first four career attempts.
P Tim Masthay has set a career high by landing two or more punts inside the 20-yard line in each of the last four games.
THE DOPE ON THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT:
Packers vs. Lions:
Regular season, all-time: 95-68-7
All-time, in Detroit: 39-41-2
Streaks: The Lions have won the past two meetings at Ford Field.
Last meeting, regular season: Nov. 15, 2015, at Lambeau Field; Lions won, 18-16
COACHES CAPSULES
Mike McCarthy: 108-59-1, .643, (incl. 7-6 postseason); 10th NFL season
Jim Caldwell: 43-37, .538, (incl. 2-3 postseason); 5th NFL season
Head to Head: Caldwell 2-1
vs. Opponent: McCarthy 15-4 vs. Lions; Caldwell 2-1 vs. Packers
MIKE McCARTHY…Is in his 10th year as the Packers’ 14th head coach.
Joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only coaches to guide the Packers to a Super Bowl title with a win over Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLV.
Led the Packers to their sixth consecutive playoff appearance last season, joining New England as the only two NFL teams to do so over that span. Has also led the team to seven playoff appearances in the last eight years (2007, 2009-14).
Has guided the Packers to top-10 finishes in scoring each of the past eight seasons (2007-14), joining the Patriots as the only other team to accomplish the feat; Packers finished first overall in scoring in 2014.
His .655 winning percentage during the regular season (101-53-1) is tied for No. 2 (Chuck Pagano) among active NFL coaches (min. 50 games).
Was named Packers head coach on Jan. 12, 2006, his first head-coaching job after 13 years as an NFL assistant.
JIM CALDWELL…Is in his second year as the Lions’ 26th head coach.
In his first season at the helm, he led the Lions to an 11-5 record and a birth in the NFC Wildcard Round vs. Dallas.
Prior to joining the Lions, Caldwell spent 2012-13 as the offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens. He orginally joined the Ravens as the quarterbacks coach and was promoted to offensive coordinator with three weeks left to play in the 2012 season. He went on to help Baltimore win the AFC North and Super Bowl XLVII.
From 2002-11, Caldwell coached for the Indianapolis Colts, including three years as the head coach (2009-11).
While in Indianapolis, the Colts had nine consecutive playoff appearances, which included six AFC South titles, two AFC championships and one Super Bowl title.
Caldwell began his NFL coaching career as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterbacks coach in 2001.
THE PACKERS-LIONS SERIES
No other NFL teams have played every year since 1932, when the Packers first met the Lions, then known as the Portsmouth (Ohio) Spartans. Including a pair of playoff clashes in the early 1990s, this week marks Game No. 173 in the all-time series.
Green Bay has scored more points (3,594 in the regular season) against the Lions than any other franchise.
From 1936-1944, the Packers won a string of nine games in a row in Detroit before the Lions reeled off eight in a row from 1948-1955.
The Lions are 7-5 in the month of December when hosting the Packers at home.
NOTABLE CONNECTIONS
Packers LB Nick Perry is a Detroit native and prepped at both Mackenzie High School and Martin Luther King High School...Packers G T.J. Lang attended Brother Rice High School in Birmingham, Mich., and played at Eastern Michigan...Packers WR Jeff Janis is from Tawas City, Mich., and is the all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns at Saginaw Valley State...Packers RBs coach Sam Gash was on the Lions’ coaching staff from 2007-12...Lions DT Khyri Thornton played during the 2014 preseason for Green Bay before being placed on injured reserve, he was also on the roster in 2015 for training camp...Lions DT C.J. Wilson played for Green Bay from 2010-13, starting 11 of 50 games played during the regular season and three of eight postseason contests...Packers DL coach Mike Trgovac was a three-year starter (1978-80) at middle guard on the defensive line for the University of Michigan, where he played in three Rose Bowls...Trgovac also began his coaching career at Michigan as a graduate assistant from 1984-85...In 1985, Lions LBs coach Bill Sheridan joined Trgovac as a graduate assistant at Michigan...Packers off. quality control coach Luke Getsy worked as the WRs coach at Western Michigan in 2013...Packers LB Andy Mulumba played at Eastern Michigan while LB Jake Ryan played at Michigan...Packers def. front asst. Jerry Montgomery coached the DL at Michigan from 2011-12...Packers HC Mike McCarthy was Kansas City’s QBs coach while Detroit’s senior coaching asst. Gunther Cunningham was DC for the Chiefs…Cunningham was on the staff of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (CFL) in 1981 when Packers assoc. HC/offense Tom Clements played QB for Hamilton and he was also on the Raiders staff when Packers assoc. HC/LBs Winston Moss played for them...Packers VP of football administration/player finance Russ Ball worked in Kansas City with Cunningham and in New Orleans with Lions DBs/CBs coach Tony Oden...Cunningham coached for the Chiefs while Clements was the QBs coach (2000), Packers asst. OL coach Mike Solari was the OL coach and OC (1997-2007) and while Packers special teams coord. Ron Zook coached DBs (1999)...From 1978-79, Packers DC Dom Capers and Cunningham were on the defensive coaching staff together at the University of California...Lions special teams coord. Joe Marciano coached with Capers for the Baltimore Stars (1983-85), New Orleans Saints (1986-91), and Houston Texans (2002-13)...Packers OL coach James Campen played in New Orleans and asst. special teams coach Jason Simmons played for Houston while Marciano was on both staffs...Solari and Lions WRs coach Robert Prince both coached for the Seahawks from 2008-09...Lions HC Jim Caldwell and Lions DC Teryl Austin coached at Penn State while Gash and Packers secondary-safeties coach Darren Perry played for the Nittany Lions...In 2003-04, Austin was the DBs coach in Seattle while Packers EVP/GM/Director of Football Operations Ted Thompson was the VP of Football Operations for the Seahawks...Packers DTLetroy Guion played for the Vikings while Lions DBs/safeties coach Alan Williams was the DC...Former college teammates include Lang and Lions DE Jason Jones (Eastern Michigan), Packers T Bryan Bulaga , DT Mike Daniels and DB Micah Hyde and Lions T Riley Reiff (Iowa), Packers WR Randall Cobb and Lions G Larry Warford (Kentucky), and Packers G Josh Sitton and Lions K Matt Prater (Central Florida).
LAST MEETING, REGULAR SEASON
Nov. 15, 2015, at Lambeau Field; Lions won, 18-16.
QB Aaron Rodgers threw for 333 yards and two TDs on 35-of-61 passing (83.6 passer rating).
WR Davante Adams hauled in career-high 10 passes for 79 yards (7.9 avg.).
Read more: http://www.packers.com/news-and-eve...a60-5529-4484-8bb0-767354ee8f3f#ixzz3t16NEiQO
So I will sit back and watch to see what happens. 
