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The Packers Lions betting odds for Thanksgiving Day 2011 had Green Bay a -6.5 road favorite. You can bet on all the Thanksgiving Day football games at Sportsbook.com here.
Sportsbook.com Line & Total: Green Bay -6.5 & 55.5
Opening Line & Total: Packers -6 & 55
Detroit is hoping to end two long streaks on Thanksgiving Day when it hosts Green Bay. The Packers have won 16 straight games and the Lions have suffered seven straight losses (SU and ATS) on the November holiday.
The Lions haven’t come within 11 points in any of their Thanksgiving defeats. But the good news is that Green Bay allowed 455 yards of offense to Tampa Bay last week while the Lions hung 49 points on Carolina. Also, they beat the Packers at home in a defensive struggle last year, 7-3. That game gets an asterisk because QB Aaron Rodgers left with a concussion late in the first half, but the Lions had held him to 46 passing yards and no points when he left, and third-string QB Drew Stanton was the Lions’ starter. Both of these teams have been highly profitable bets over the past two seasons, as Green Bay is 20-10 ATS (67%) and Detroit is even better at 18-6 ATS (75%). And the Lions are a stellar 14-5 ATS (74%) against NFC teams over this same span.
Green Bay is 9-1 SU (7-3 ATS) in the past 10 meetings with Detroit, and Rodgers has been a big part of that with 262 passing YPG, 14 TD and 4 INT in his six career games in this series. And nobody has been better than Rodgers this season, or possibly ever, as he has thrown for 317 passing YPG with 31 TD and just 4 INT. With the Packers’ top running back, James Starks, questionable with a sprained knee, Green Bay might not be able to take advantage of Detroit’s 27th-ranked run defense (135 YPG allowed).
Although Rodgers is playing on another level, the Lions are fifth in the NFL in passing defense (193 YPG) and tied for second in the league with 15 interceptions. If their front four can put the pressure on Rodgers, Detroit has enough playmakers to ruin Green Bay’s Thanksgiving. The Lions have done a great job creating turnovers recently with 12 takeaways in the past five weeks.
Detroit QB Matthew Stafford is coming off a monster game against Carolina, throwing for 335 yards and 5 TD. However, he also threw two interceptions, giving him six in the past two games. Stafford also threw four picks the only time he faced Green Bay in 2009. And considering the Packers defense leads the league with 19 interceptions, Stafford must make smart decisions throwing the football. But the Packers have been exposed in the passing game all year, allowing the second-most yards in the NFL (289 passing YPG).
The Lions won’t likely have top RB Jahvid Best (concussion) back on the field, but they will have Kevin Smith who is coming off a brilliant performance against Carolina. Smith rushed for 140 yards on just 16 carries (8.8 YPC) and caught four passes for 61 more yards, reaching the end zone three times. Smith has not found a lot of running room against Green Bay in the past though, gaining just 248 yards on 74 carries (3.4 YPC) with one touchdown in five career meetings with the Pack, all ending in Detroit losses.
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com Senior Reporter
