A little over a year ago, the Green Bay Packers blew into Detroit with a 4-6 record and genuine doubts about how their season would turn out. Detroit was 8-2 and in control of the NFC North.
Packers fans will remember what happened next. Green Bay defeated Detroit 29-22 on Thanksgiving Day at Ford Field and the next week knocked off eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City 27-19 at Lambeau Field. The Packers would finish the season with three consecutive wins, make the playoffs and shock the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium before losing to San Francisco in the next round.
This season, Detroit is two games ahead of the Packers, who at 9-3 are in much better position than they were last year at this time.
No pep rally in Detroit
Being a Thursday night game, Detroit is one of only two road contests this season that won't include a Packers pep rally. The other was the season-opening game in São Paulo, Brazil. Otherwise, rallies were held in Nashville, Los Angeles, Jacksonville and Chicago, and are scheduled for Seattle and Minneapolis.
Weather forecast doesn't matter, because Lions play in a dome
Even though the Lions play indoors, fans will have to leave the stadium eventually. The National Weather Service forecast for Thursday is partly sunny with a high near 30 during the day and a low of 19 overnight.
You can get to Detroit in a hurry or slowly
Detroit is only a one-hour flight from Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport. Ford Field in downtown Detroit is 20 miles from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport.
Ford Field is 497 miles from Lambeau Field if you bypass Chicago. It could be a 7-1/2 hour trip, but let's be honest, even going around Chicago, between 8 and 9 hours is more likely. Which is pretty much the same time it takes going through the Upper Peninsula, if that's a preference.
Ford Field ranked among better NFL venues
Ford Field ranked 10th and 16th among the NFL's best stadiums in two USA TODAY features, one by individual writers with experience at stadiums, and the other a poll of six sportswriters.
The individual writers ranked Ford Field 16th, saying, "As shown during the playoff run of the revitalized franchise last season, the home field can be something special — and raucous — when the Lions provide something to roar about ... there’s some serious civic pride flowing from the fact that all four of Detroit’s major pro sports teams play at sparkling downtown facilities within walking distance of each other. Thus, there are no shortage of options for stuff to do before and/or after the games given the vast menu of restaurants, bars and casinos in nearby Greektown, along the Woodward corridor or in other parts of downtown."
In the other survey, where it ranked 10th, reporter Michelle Martinelli wrote, "By far, Ford Field’s biggest asset is its roof because while some fan bases relish the idea of freezing in the winter during games at their outdoor venues, it’s so much better to watch the home team (win?) without battling frigid temperatures and sideways snowing. Beyond that, the food, particularly Slows Bar BQ, is fantastic, and the Bloody Marys are good and spicy. Plus, the ultra-dedicated fans inside remain consistently rowdy, and when an occasional Detroit touchdown is scored, the energy inside feels like it could blow that precious roof off."
Packers-Lions game will be broadcast on Amazon
Al Michaels will do play-by-play and Kirk Herbstreit will provide analysis. Kaylee Hartung is normally the sideline reporter for Thursday Night Football.
Thursday Night Football is a nationally televised game, so it will be available everywhere.
Lions game will be available on Packers Radio Network
Packers games can be heard on the Packers Radio Network, made up of 54 stations in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, and North Dakota and South Dakota. 97.3 The Game, WRNW-Milwaukee, is the flagship station of the Packers Radio Network. For a full listing of radio affiliates, visitpackers.com/video/radio-network.Wayne Larrivee(play-by-play) and two-time Packers Pro BowlerLarry McCarren(analyst) are in their 26th season of calling the action together.
Packers.comwill stream the team's radio broadcast worldwide to desktop users. ThePackers mobile appalso will stream the radio broadcast within the Packers' home market, per NFL broadcast restrictions. The broadcast will start with the pre-game show at 10:05 a.m., Central Daylight Time.
Detroit metro area 13 times bigger than Green Bay metro area
Green Bay is thesmallest market in the NFL, with a metro area population of 328,268, compared to Detroit, which has a metro area population of 4.4 million.
Contact Richard Ryman atrryman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at@RichRymanPG,on Instagram at@rrymanPGor on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/RichardRymanPG.
