Green Bay Packers Prediction 2019: NFC North Champs Beat Detroit Lions, Clinch No.1 Seed In Week 17

The Green Bay Packers have put themselves in a position to make a deep postseason run, potentially ending in a trip to Super Bowl LIV. After defeating the Minnesota Vikings and clinching the NFC North title Monday night, the team is a couple of steps away from securing home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

Green Bay can earn a first-round bye by defeating the Detroit Lions Sunday afternoon. If the San Francisco 49ers follow that up with a loss or a tie against the Seattle Seahawks in the final game of the 2019 regular season, the Packers will get the No.1 seed.

The first part of that scenario shouldn’t be difficult to get done.

A Week 17 Green Bay loss would be one of the biggest upsets of the year. The Packers are 12.5-point road favorites against a team that’s playing worse football than perhaps anyone in the NFL.

The Lions nearly won at Lambeau Field in Week 6, narrowly losing 23-22 on "Monday Night Football." The wheels have since come off for Detroit, who last won a game on Oct. 27 and hasn’t gotten in the win column since Matthew Stafford’s season ended with a back injury.

Detroit is on an eight-game losing streak. Seven of those losses have come against teams outside of the Week 17 playoff picture. The Lions have been defeated by double digits in three straight games.

David Blough isn’t good enough to be a starting quarterback in the NFL. Since throwing two touchdown passes in the first half during his debut on Thanksgiving, the undrafted signal caller has thrown for two touchdowns and five interceptions. Blough hasn’t completed more than 60% of his passes in any game or even had a 90.0 passer rating.

The Lions haven’t scored more than 20 points in any of Blough’s starts. Detroit lost 19-16 in Washington the week before Blough took over as the Lions’ quarterback.

The Packers are 9-1 against teams that are out of the playoff picture. They’ve scored at least 20 points in four straight games.

Green Bay isn’t losing this game.

The odds suggest the Packers will get the No.2 seed since the 49ers are favored in Seattle, but there are plenty of reasons to believe the Seahawks will beat their division rivals and win the NFC West.

Between injuries and poor play, San Francisco’s defense has taken a step back in the second half of the season. The 49ers’ 37-8 victory over the Packers was one of just two times in the last eight games that the team held their opponent to fewer than 25 points.

Even with the injury to Chris Carson, the Seahawks can move the ball. Russell Wilson has performed better than Aaron Rodgers and every other NFC quarterback in 2019. He’s found a way to get Seattle to 11 wins and the league’s No.7 offense.

Wilson gives the Seahawks the edge at the game’s most important position. Jimmy Garoppolo has been inconsistent, posting a passer rating below the league average seven times.

One such instance was on Nov. 11 when Seattle won in San Francisco. Garoppolo was sacked five times as Jadeveon Clowney played like the best defender on the field. The defensive end is expected to make his return Sunday night.

Look for Wilson and the Seahawks to beat the 49ers in primetime for a second time this season, pushing the Packers to the top of the conference.