DETROIT — The NFC-leading Detroit Lions host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, favored to win by 14 points by BetMGM.
If the Lions don't suffer a stunning upset, the defending NFC North champions will be 9-1 for the franchise's best 10-game mark since 1934.
Sunday's game might look like the previous matchup at Ford Field. Detroit beat Jacksonville 40-14 in 2022 at home. The Jaguars are coming off a 12-7 loss to Minnesota.
The Lions beat the AFC South-leading Houston Texans on the road, overcoming a 16-point deficit and Jared Goff's career-high five interceptions.
Game Info
- Matchup: Jacksonville (2-8) at Detroit (8-1)
- Time: Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, CBS
- BetMGM NFL Odds: Lions by 14.
- Against the spread: Jacksonville 6-4; Detroit 7-2.
Matchup Stats
- Series record: Lions lead 5-3.
- Last meeting: Lions beat Jaguars 40-14 on Dec. 4, 2022, in Detroit.
- Last week: Jaguars lost to Vikings 12-7; Lions beat Texans 26-23.
- Jaguars offense: overall (25), rush (25), pass (23), scoring (21).
- Jaguars defense: overall (32), rush (32), pass (T-20), scoring (27).
- Lions offense: overall (7), rush (7), pass (14), scoring (2).
- Lions defense: overall (20), rush (6), pass (28), scoring (8).
- Turnover differential: Lions plus-8, Jaguars minus-7.
Jaguars player to watch
QB Mac Jones is expected to start for a second game in a row, filling in for the injured Trevor Lawrence.
Jones started 42 games over three years for New England. He was 14 of 22 for 111 yards with two interceptions and a fumble last week for the Jaguars, who were held to 143 yards for their fifth-lowest total in team history.
Lions player to watch
QB Jared Goff should have a great chance to bounce back from one of the worst games of his career.
He threw a career-high five interceptions after going five straight games without a pick and throwing just four before his turnover-filled game in Houston. Goff did rally against the Texans, leading his 11th game-winning drive for the Lions.
Key matchup
Detroit's running game against Jacksonville's poor run defense. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have each accounted for 700-plus scrimmage yards and eight scrimmage TDs, the first pair of RBs to do that since the 1959 Cleveland Browns with Jim Brown and Bobby Mitchell in the backfield. The Jaguars are giving up 129.4 yards rushing per game.
Key injuries
- Lawrence will miss a second straight game with an injury to his left, non-throwing shoulder.
- RB Tank Bigsby (ankle) missed practice Wednesday.
- The Jaguars hope LG Ezra Cleveland (ankle) returns after a one-week absence.
- Lions TE Sam LaPorta (shoulder) was injured last week.
- OT Taylor Decker (shoulder) said Wednesday he plans to play after missing a game.
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle) has been out for two straight games.
Series notes
The Lions have won four straight, including the most recent meeting two years ago when they didn't punt and Goff threw for 340 yards and two TDs.
The Jaguars won three in a row before the current losing streak.
Detroit beat the Jaguars 44-0 in 1995 during their first NFL season.
More Stats and stuff
- Since winning the AFC South in 2022 and starting 8-3 last season, the Jaguars have lost 13 of 16 games.
- Jacksonville has a bye next week, giving Lawrence a chance to return Dec. 1 against Houston.
- The Jaguars are 1-6 in one-score games.
- Coach Doug Pederson's future with the franchise is in doubt because of a 2-8 start that followed consecutive 9-8 seasons. Counting his five years in Philadelphia, he is 62-61-1 with a 5-3 record in the playoffs, including a Super Bowl win with the Eagles against New England on Feb. 4, 2018.
- Jones, drafted No. 15 overall by the Patriots in 2021, has a career record of 18-25 with 46 TDs and 38 INTs.
- Travon Walker, drafted No. 1 overall in 2022 a pick before Detroit selected Aidan Hutchinson, has 7 1/2 sacks after he had a career-high 10 sacks last season.
- Jacksonville had three interceptions against the Vikings.
- The Lions rallied from a 23-7 halftime deficit at Houston to win a seventh straight game, their longest winning streak since the 1934 team started 10-0.
- Detroit is 8-1 for the first time since 1954 and has a chance to win nine of its first 10 games for the first time in nine decades.
- The Lions become the first team since Atlanta in 2012 to win a game after throwing five INTs.
- Detroit's point differential is a league-high 113 points.
- WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has a TD catch in a franchise-record seven straight games.
- S Brian Branch is the only player in the league with at least 25 passes defended and 10-plus tackles for losses over the past two years.
- CB Carlton Davis had a career-high two INTs against the Texans.
Fantasy tip
TE Brock Wright might be worth starting if options are limited. Wright, who has nine catches for 58 yards and a TD this season, may play a larger role because of LaPorta's injury. Jacksonville is the NFL's worst team against the pass and struggles in particular against tight ends.
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