Lions’ Week 2 Monday Night Football Line At Green Bay Rises As Detroit’s Injuries Mount

The Detroit Lions continue to receive an onslaught of unfortunate news regarding injuries.

Following a 41-33 loss in their season opener against the San Francisco 49ers, where the Lions’ bettors were unable to capitalize on a last-minute comeback, the team suffered another defeat on Monday.

The revelation came when second-year cornerback Jeff Okudah, who had been hoping for a successful sophomore season to overcome his rookie struggles, unfortunately sustained a season-ending injury. Okudah had a tough time in the opening game and later ruptured his Achilles tendon. Additionally, the team’s top wide receiver, Tyrell Williams, suffered a brain injury and was subsequently put under concussion protocol.

The line for Monday Night Football at the Green Bay Packers has shifted by approximately one point due to the absence of left tackle Taylor Decker, who underwent hand surgery and is now on injured reserve.

On Thursday afternoon, the Lions, who started the week with a +10.5 point advantage, were considered underdogs by 11.5 points at the top three choices for Michigan sports betting.

Below are the odds listed in real-time.

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers: Monday Night Football Odds

How to watch: Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers

• The matchup: Detroit Lions (0-1) versus Green Bay Packers (0-1)
• When: 8:15 p.m. Monday
• Location: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
• TV: ESPN will be featuring Steve Levy, Louis Riddick, Brian Griese, and Lisa Salters as the announcers. In addition, ESPN2 is presenting Monday Night Football with Peyton and Eli, where the hosts will be none other than Peyton Manning and Eli Manning.
• Online livestream: ESPN+
• The radio station in Detroit is 97.1 FM and the announcers are Dan Miller, Lomas Brown, and T.J. Lang.

WR Williams misses practice; Brockers, Flowers, Okwara, Swift, RB Williams limited

Tyrell Williams’ chances of playing on Monday are not looking promising, according to Lions coach Dan Campbell. Williams was absent from the team on Thursday.

The practice report was finally issued on Thursday, a day later than usual, revealing a growing list of injuries for the Detroit Lions.

On top of Williams’ absence from practice, several players were limited on Thursday including running backs D’Andre Swift (groin) and Jamaal Williams (chest), as well as defensive linemen Michael Brockers (shoulder), Trey Flowers (shoulder), and Romeo Okwara (shoulder).

In the absence of Okudah, the Lions will turn to Amani Oruwariye and Ifeatu Melifonwu, a third-round rookie, to fill the void on the outside.

Rodgers and star wide receiver Davante Adams could potentially have a big game with that lineup.

Monday Night Football is rare for Detroit Lions

Last year, the NFL rightfully buried the Detroit Lions under coach Matt Patricia.

Last year, the NFL found a way to bypass their rule requiring every team to play for a national TV audience at least once a year. They achieved this by scheduling the Detroit and Washington teams to play on Thanksgiving Day, a tradition reserved for the Lions every year.

After a hiatus since Week 6 of 2019, Detroit makes a grand return to Monday Night Football (MNF) this year. Their last appearance ended in a narrow 23-22 defeat against Green Bay, marred by a controversial ending.

Trey Flowers’ hands to the face penalty calls were deemed questionable, as they ended up benefiting Rodgers’ offense during Green Bay’s winning drive in the fourth quarter.

Currently, Flowers stands as one of the few remaining Lions from that particular game, symbolizing the team’s trajectory since that time.

In total, the Lions have a record of 16 wins, 20 losses, and 1 tie in Monday Night Football. Out of their last seven games, six have been played away from home. Among these away games, the Lions have achieved a balanced record of 3 wins and 3 losses.

Green Bay Packers struggled in Week 1 loss to New Orleans

In its Sunday opener, Green Bay experienced a disappointing 38-3 loss to the New Orleans Saints following an unusual offseason centered around quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Following a lengthy offseason filled with trade speculations and talks, Rodgers completed only 15 passes for 133 yards, throwing two interceptions out of his 28 attempts. As the game slipped away from their grasp, the second-year QB Jordan Love, who is believed to be Rodgers’ successor, stepped in to replace him.

Expect a nice recovery from star running back Aaron Jones on Monday, as he only managed five carries for nine yards. Following the 49ers’ dominant rushing performance against the Lions on Sunday, where they ran for a total of 131 yards on 28 carries, Jones is likely to bounce back strongly.