NFC North-leading Detroit Lions and Denver Broncos meet on Saturday night
DENVER (7-6) at DETROIT (9-4)
Saturday, 8:15 p.m. EST, NFL Network
BETTING LINE: Lions by 4, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
AGAINST THE SPREAD: Broncos 5-7-1; Lions 8-5.
SERIES RECORD: Broncos lead 9-5.
LAST MEETING: Broncos beat Lions 38-10 on Dec. 12, 2021, in Denver.
LAST WEEK: Broncos beat Chargers 24-7; Lions lost to Bears 28-13.
BRONCOS OFFENSE: OVERALL (24), RUSH (13), PASS (27), SCORING (T-13).
BRONCOS DEFENSE: OVERALL (30), RUSH (32), PASS (24), SCORING (T-23).
LIONS OFFENSE: OVERALL (3), RUSH (5), PASS (7), SCORING (7).
LIONS DEFENSE: OVERALL (15), RUSH (9), PASS (19), SCORING (T-26).
TURNOVER DIFFERENTIAL
Broncos plus-6; Lions minus-6.
BRONCOS PLAYER TO WATCH
QB Russell Wilson. He has had a 91 or better QB rating in six of the past seven games and the exception was in a loss. Wilson completed 64% of his passes for 224 yards with two TDs and an INT last week.
LIONS PLAYER TO WATCH
QB Jared Goff. Over the past four games, Goff has seven TDs, five INTs and three lost fumbles. In the first nine games this season and the last nine games last season, he threw a total of five INTs.
KEY MATCHUP
Detroit WR Amon Ra-St. Brown against All-Pro DBs Justin Simmons and Pat Surtain. In the past two weeks, St. Brown has been held to five catches — the fewest receptions he has had in a two-game stretch since the start of his career in 2021. This year, he has 87 catches for 1,063 yards and 6 TDs. Simmons, who has three INTs, has been an All-Pro for three straight seasons and 30 INTs in his career.
KEY INJURIES
Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto, who left last week's game with a knee injury, and S PJ Locke (neck) missed practices this week. ... TE Greg Dulcich practiced Wednesday for the first time since reinjuring his hamstring Oct. 12 versus Kansas City. ... OLB Jonathon Cooper (ankle) was limited in practice Wednesday. ... Detroit didn't hold anyone out of practice because of an injury three days before the game. ... C Frank Ragnow (knee, back, toe) and DE Bruce Irvin (ankle) did not play last week.
SERIES NOTES
Denver has beaten Detroit in three straight games. ... Teddy Bridgewater, who is now Detroit's No. 2 QB, threw two TD passes against the Lions in the previous matchup just days after former Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas died at 33.
STATS AND STUFF
The Broncos and Lions have playoff droughts that trail only the New York Jets among active stretches without a postseason appearance. ... The Broncos have won six of seven after a 1-5 start to pull within a game of AFC West-leading Kansas City and are among six teams in the conference with a 7-6 record. ... Denver WR Courtland Sutton has 10 TD catches, becoming the first player for the franchise to have double digits in TD receptions since 2014, and joins Miami's Tyreek Hill and Tampa Bay's Mike Evans as the players in the league with double digits in TD receptions and at least 600 yards receiving entering Week 15. ... The Broncos have given up an average of 16 points since Week 6 and only Minnesota has allowed fewer points per game over the same span. ... Denver has recovered a league-high 13 fumbles and is tied for the NFL lead with 24 takeaways. ... The Lions have lost two of three for the first time since starting last season 1-6 and are hoping to avoid dropping two straight games for the first time since October 2022. ... Detroit can clinch a spot in the playoffs with many scenarios, including beating the Broncos with Seattle losing or tying along with Green Bay, Minnesota or the Los Angeles Rams losing or tying. ... Lions coach Dan Campbell played for Denver coach Sean Payton when he was with the New York Giants, Dallas and New Orleans before having him on his Saints staff for five seasons.
FANTASY TIP
Wilson is worth a start, going against a team that has given up 29.8 points per game over the past five weeks. He is 3-1 against the Lions with 10 TDs and one INT and his 130 QB rating is his best against any team with at least four starts.
