Two of the NFL's hottest teams will meet on the frozen tundra of Lambeau Field in the season finale Sunday night, with NFC's final playoff spot on the line.
The Lions-Packers showdown, a potential win-and-in game for both teams, has officially been flexed to NBC's Sunday Night Football. Just as the Lions had hoped.
"I hope it gets flexed to Sunday night," veteran left tackle Taylor Decker said after the Lions routed the Bears in Week 17 to keep their playoff hopes alive. "I really hope it does, because that’s a historic stadium, a historic franchise, a division opponent, what else could you want? You want the challenge, you want all the eyes on you when you’re going to rise up and try to meet that challenge."
The Packers, who have rallied from 4-8, will make the playoffs with a win, by virtue of owning the tiebreaker with Seattle. The Lions, who have rallied from 1-6, will make the playoffs with a win and a Seahawks' loss. Seattle hosts the Rams on Sunday afternoon at 4:25.
Dan Campbell said Monday that the Lions deserve to play in the spotlight of Sunday night, where the team hasn't been featured since Week 3 of the 2018 season. It will also be Detroit's first primetime slot of this season. Sunday's early forecast in Green Bay calls for temperatures in the 20's.
"I just want to play," said Campbell. "It’s coming and it’ll be down the wire and they’ll be there, we’ll be there. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be an exciting game.”
The Lions and Packers played for the NFC North on Sunday Night Football in the season finale in 2016, a game Green Bay won in Detroit. Aaron Rodgers said after the Packers routed the Vikings in Week 17 that it would "be pretty special" if they met on Sunday night again.
"But it’s not the Same Old Lions," Rodgers said. "They were 1-6 at one point and they’ve come all the way back to 8-8. There will be a lot on the line for both teams and it’ll be exciting to line up against them."
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