Zielinski: Packers will barely break a sweat against Lions

By DAN ZIELINSKI

The final week of the NFL regular season has numerous playoff implications on the line.

The Green Bay Packers have a chance to earn the top playoff seed in the NFC with a victory over the Detroit Lions and a loss by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. As long as the Packers beat the Lions, they will at least be the second seed and secure a first-round bye.

The Packers are 12-3, but they haven’t played crisp, dominate football in most of those victories. Sunday’s game gives the Packers the chance to end the regular season on a high note and enter the playoffs with some momentum.

The Packers are riding a four-game winning streak and travel to Detroit to face a team that doesn’t have its best player in quarterback Matthew Stafford. They also have played terrible of late, losing their last eight games.

The underachieving Lions (3-11-1) would actually be better off losing Sunday to ensure a better spot in the NFL draft. The current players aren’t concerned with that fact but don’t expect the Packers to have troubles with a team which likely has its sights set on the offseason.

The Packers should ease to victory over the Lions and don’t be surprised to see them play their star players only a portion of this game.

Prediction: Packers 31, Lions 13