The Green Bay Packers and the Detroit Lions are two of the best teams in football.
They are also two of the most injured teams in football. Green Bay and Detroit entered Week 13 with 16 and 15 players, respectively, on their injury reports.
This is a stark contrast from the Week 1 contest between the two Super Bowl hopefuls, where each team entered mostly healthy.
Green Bay enters Week 13 with several key starters present on their weekly injury report. Quarterback Jordan Love continues to deal with an AC Joint sprain in his non-throwing shoulder. Running back Josh Jacobs, while due back on Thursday, missed last week’s game due to a knee injury, and Love’s six most targeted receivers all appear on injured reserve or the injury report in some capacity.
Detroit will attempt to overcome an injury-ravaged offensive line for the second week in a row. The Lions’ injury report includes four of the five starters from last week’s unit that allowed three sacks in a narrow win over the New York Giants. Defensively, key contributors Terrion Arnold, Kerby Joseph, and Brian Branch are all dealing with lingering ailments.
Exploiting Weaknesses
Dan Campbell’s Lions enter Week 13 as the NFL’s second-best scoring team. Quarterback Jared Goff has led an incredible unit when he has been properly protected.
However, he has struggled to match that production when under pressure. Goff has posted a sub-50 percent completion rate, while throwing zero touchdowns and two interceptions when facing pressure this season. The Packers’ elite pass rush must take advantage of the injuries to the Lions’ offensive line to secure a victory.
Nearly every skill position player on the Packers is dealing with some sort of injury. The shortened week of preparation places immense pressure on a Packers offense that has struggled through the season. Green Bay has scored 16 or fewer points in each of their three losses this season. Detroit must take advantage of an injury-riddled opponent to escape this divisional clash with a win.
Neither Team Can Afford to Make Excuses
This is a critical game for both teams. Both the Packers and Lions trail the Chicago Bears for the NFC North lead. However, most divisional matchups have yet to take place. Both teams retain full control of their ability to win the division and host a playoff game. Whichever team is victorious in Thursday’s matchup will instantly become the favorite to win the division.
Week one of the 2025 season presented a one-sided affair. Neither team expects this matchup to be the same, as both teams fight for their playoff lives. Packers’ fans will hope for a repeat of the 2023 Thanksgiving game that sparked a late-season run. Unfortunately, this Thanksgiving does not come with a waxing gibbous lunar cycle to curse the Lions.
The truth is, whichever team successfully mitigates the impact of its injuries will undoubtedly win this game.
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