NFC North Week 9 picks: Packers, Lions in a showdown while Vikings try to end skid

In Detroit, a shout-out to Tim Twentyman, senior writer for the Lions’ team website, who offered up a stat of the week that ties what the Lions’ running game is doing today to what a quartet of Hall of Famers did 64 years ago. Lions running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, the best duo in the league, each have 550 scrimmage yards and seven touchdowns. Per Twentyman, it’s the first time since 1960 that a team has had two backs do that through seven games. Two teams did that in 1960: Cleveland, with Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell; and Green Bay, with Paul Hornung and Jim Taylor.

In Chicago, the Bears’ defense is a heck of a lot better inside the 20 than it is from 52 yards out at the end of games (See: Washington, Hail Mary, Week 8, D’oh!). Chicago leads the league in red-zone defense, allowing touchdowns from inside the 20 only seven times in 19 chances (36.8%). Ironically, Chicago kept last week’s game competitive because it held the Commanders to four field goals in the red zone, including three drives that ended inside the Chicago 10-yard line.

In Green Bay, the Packers rank sixth in scoring (27.0), but are the only team in the league to reach 24 points seven times this season. Their active streak of six is tied with Baltimore for the longest. The only time the Packers didn’t reach 24 points was Week 2, when they beat the Colts 16-10 with Malik Willis starting at quarterback 21 days after arriving via trade.

NFL Week 9 schedule | NFL standings

Sunday, 7:20 p.m.

The Vikings’ chances of winning dipped when Shane Steichen benched starting quarterback Anthony Richardson, and the Vikings lost left tackle Christian Darrisaw. But Minnesota (5-2) is still a better team than the 4-4 Colts, playing at home, in prime time, in T.J. Hockenson’s return. Joe Flacco has seen it all, but he won’t be able to escape all that the Vikings throw at him as Brian Flores redeems himself after a 10-quarter wobble the past three weeks. Vikings 27, Colts 21

Sunday, 3:05 p.m.

The rest of the NFL would like to thank the 4-3 Bears’ fourth-ranked scoring defense for last week’s public service announcement on how not to defend a game-ending Hail Mary or the play before the game-ending Hail Mary. This week, they’ll just lose on a run-of-the-mill last-second field goal to Arizona (4-4). Cardinals 24, Bears 22

Sunday, 3:25 p.m.

The Lions (6-1) have won five straight. They’re averaging 43 points the last four games. Jared Goff completed 12 passes for 85 yards a week ago. And the Lions still scored 52. The Packers (6-2) are more sneaky good. QB Jordan Love is battling a groin injury that could bring Willis and his totally different skillset into play even if Love starts. Detroit wins the NFL’s game of the week. Lions 34, Packers 24

Record/vs. spread: 17-10/17-9-1.

Vikings pick/vs. spread: 2-5/2-4-1.

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