
How much the Packers play their starters is unclear, and your guess at that variable will surely affect your prediction for the season finale’s final result.
As sure as the Green Bay Packers’ home game against the Chicago Bears will be on prime time, the Packers play in Detroit in the final month of the regular season. This week’s season finale is the fourth time in the last six seasons that the two teams meet at Ford Field to close out the season, an odd scheduling quirk but a notable one nonetheless.
This year’s game ends up being the second of these four contests that finds the Packers with nothing to play for.
In 2019, the Packers needed a win to clinch the NFC’s 2 seed and a first-round bye. In 2016, Green Bay and Detroit met on Sunday Night Football with the NFC North division title on the line. Only 2017’s game meant nothing for either team, with both teams already eliminated from the playoffs.
The question for Sunday’s game, with the Packers having already locked up the top seed, is how much will Green Bay keep its starters on the field? Matt LaFleur said that he will play his star players at least for a portion of the game, but just how far into this contest is he willing to let them go? That makes for tough picks in this contest, as the Packers are now 3.5-point favorites (according to the DraftKings sportsbook) in an ultimately meaningless game.
Here are APC’s picks for all of the week 18 games, including the Packers-Lions contest, and be sure to give us your predictions in the poll below.