Betting on the outcome of Thursday Night's game against the Lions may not be exciting for Green Bay fans nervous about their team's chances of winning on the road. Instead, it might be more enjoyable for Packers fans to focus in some interesting prop bets that could pay off in the important NFC North clash.
FanDuel has the Lions as 3.5-point favorites over the Packers, which feels about right given Detroit's two-game advantage in the race to win the division. Green Bay desperately needs a win to stay in the race while Detroit wants to relegate their long time rivals to scratching and clawing for a Wild Card berth.
The clash between two talented teams like this will be worth watching for all NFL fans. Green Bay supporters should focus in on the five following prop bets if they want to cash in on individual performances on Thursday Night.
Packers prop bet No. 1: Josh Jacobs over 17.5 receiving yards
Josh Jacobs may no be the prototypical pass-catching back that modern NFL offenses covet, but he's been a quality safety valve for quarterback Jordan Love this season. The Lions are going to stack the box against the run to make sure he can't get loose on the ground. That makes taking the over on his 17.5 yards receiving such a smart play.
Jacobs caught four balls for 74 yards against the Dolphins last week which shows how effective he can be as a receiver. His ability to produce yards after the catch gives him a chance to produce one explosive pass play against the Lions. Hitting on one 20-yard catch would allow bettors to win this wager.
Jacobs will be a big part of Green Bay's game plan but he might be more efficient through the air than on the ground. Taking the over on his individual yards receiving is arguably this game's most enticing prop bet.
Packers prop bet No. 2: Jordan Love to record 100+ passing yards in each half
It's no secret that the Packers will only be able to go as far as Love's right arm can take them this season. He has to pass the ball effectively to help engineer an upset over the Lions. The Packers will try to establish the run game early, but they are going to try to take deep shots all game long.
That makes the bet that Love will go over 100 passing yards in each half so appealing. Green Bay needs him to be at his best if they're going to hang in with the Super Bowl favorites. He may not go over 300 yards for the game but hitting the century mark in both halves is a relatively safe bet for the Packers franchise quarterback.
Packers prop bet No. 3: Jayden Reed over 48.5 receiving yards
If Love is going to hit the aformentioned over he will need a receiver to enjoy success with. Romeo Doubs is likely going to return to the mix for Green Bay on Thursday, but Jayden Reed has established himself as the team's most explosive wide receiver.
Reed also does a lot of damage on the ground, but this wager only applies to his receiving total. 48.5 is just too low for a player that has so much big play ability. It's always dangerous to bet on a guy who doesn't dominate his team's target share but Reed deserves that sort of trust. He could turn one catch into an over against a Lions' secondary that will not double-team him frequently.
Packers prop bet No. 4: David Montgomery to record 5+ rushing yards in each quarter
Packers fans might be hesitant to bet on the other team's success but this opportunity is too good to pass up. Montgomery got 21 carries last week for his team. That efficiency, combined with his team's dogged determination to run the football should get him a heavy workload again against Green Bay.
The downside of this bet is that Montgomery is involved in a pesky backfield timeshare. Five yards per quarter is still too low for a runner who should average 5+ carries per quarter. This bet only comes in at +165 while going over 25 yards per quarter checks in at +170. The small difference shows the right bet is to take the fiver for Montgomery.
Packers prop bet No. 5: Jordan Love with most passing yards of the game
If you believe this game is going to finish anywhere near the 3.5-point spread then it's clear Love has to outplay Goff at the quarterback position. If Goff throws for more yards than his counterpart then it will represent a decisive victory for Detroit.
The bet here is that the game will finish somewhere near its line. That should permit Love to comfortably outduel Goff in their individual yard battle. Add in the possibility that a blowout might also inflate Love's throwing totals and it's easy to see why this is an attractive opportunity at +104.
Remember that Love avoiding turnovers or sacks against a physical Lions' front seven does not really impact the outcome of this bet. All Love needs to do is throw the ball often to make sure he finishes with the superior yardage total. The Lions don't want Goff to need to throw the ball nearly as often as his counterpart. This bet lines up perfectly for a nice payout for Packers fans.