Detroit Lions Bold Prediction of Week 17: Green Bay Packers pile it on

I’m sorry, I usually try to keep this positive. I’m #TeamTank, however, and that means I’m rooting for the Lions to lose on Sunday—call me a fake fan or whatever other creative insult you can, I’ve heard it all week. So, in a way, I guess this is positive.

Bold prediction of the week: Packers win by 14+

The Lions have a history of valiant efforts against the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 when they really don’t need them. In Jim Caldwell’s final game the Lions pummeled the Packers and even pulled out the Stafford Special (if you call it the Philly Special you’re getting blocked). That was an overwhelming vote of approval from the players for Jim Caldwell and a last-ditch effort to keep him around whilst he was on the hot seat.

Last year with nothing on the line, the Lions once again routed the Packers in Lions legend Zach Zenner’s best career performance and, to this day, his hallmark game.

This season, I’m hoping things will be different. The Packers still have something to play for in spite of their highly impressive record, with the NFC’s number one seed in the playoffs still in play for numerous teams, Pack included. You could argue that, if anything, the Lions have incentive to lose given that Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn have been guaranteed another season.

The Lions will never admit it, but the way they’ve operated the last several weeks—most notably putting Matthew Stafford on IR immediately after the Fords announced that the staff would be retained—indicate that the Lions have surrendered this season and are now in the Chase for Young. Hopefully Sunday can reaffirm their commitment to mediocrity.