Here in the NFL, every team’s winning run eventually comes to an end. Just look at the Chiefs; they won 9 in a row until the Bills stopped them in their tracks. And this week’s example could be the high-flying Lions, who haven’t lost since week 2 against the Bucs. However, going into their clash against the Packers on a 10-game winning run, the Lions streak could finally come to an end.

Although it is a prediction, for now, there’s the example of the Chiefs. Struggling with injuries all over the pitch, they finally crumbled in Buffalo. Well, the Lions have an even worse situation compared to the other 31 teams in the NFL. As per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Lions have 13 of their defensive players on the injury reserves. What makes it more scary is that none of the other teams in the league have more than seven of them on their injury list.

As they say, it could be an unlucky 13 for them on Thursday night coming up against Green Bay. But 13 is only the defensive side thing for the Lions injury reserve. They have a grand total of 18 players out as they welcome the Packers in Detroit. Just last week on Thanksgiving, when the Lions somehow managed to cling on against the Bears to win 23-20. They had to watch Malcolm Rodriguez and Mekhi Wingo suffer season-ending knee injuries.

And those weren’t the only players who went down in Detroit last week. Their edge rusher Josh Paschal and defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike suffered knee and hamstring injuries, respectively, in the first half. But Dan Campbell is still not willing to term it as a concern as per his thoughts after the win over Chicago, “Does it really matter? Like, who cares? That’s what I go back to. It doesn’t matter. It is or it isn’t. We get a guy back or we don’t get a guy back. Worrying about it…what does it matter?”

See, we know what Campbell is thinking either way: the Lions are winning even after so many injuries on their roster. However, these injuries would eventually start catching up, and that’s when it could start bothering Campbell. So, will it be the Packers who stop the Lions on their tracks on Thursday Night?

Lions aim to maintain their dominance in the NFC North

Even after 13 weeks of this season, it’s still difficult to determine who will win the NFL North. Although the Lions occupy the top spot with an 11-1 record, the Vikings are breathing down their neck with 10-2. And this week’s opponent, the Packers, isn’t far away either, as they stand at 9-3. As we enter into the final stretch of the regular season, a minor slip-up could give either of the three an advantage in the following weeks.

With the race to the finish line heating up, the Lions’ head coach is enjoying nerve-racking moments, “I think always for me, you’re always—your’s head down and you’re just going. And players are no different. You just worry about what’s in front of you…You know you’re well within the race. It’s exciting and it’s competitive and it’s just—I mean, this is why you’re in this business.”

So it starts with the Packers, and a win against them could clear their path to claim the NFC North. However, if they fail to see them out on Thursday Night, their chances of winning the NFC North will drop below 50%. As per The Athletic’s projection, they wouldn’t have a clear path to clinch their division. While they should be scared of missing out on so many players, their head coach is claiming, “The race is on. This is top-tier stuff.” Well, indeed, it is, and it will only give us more twists and turns until the final 5 games of the season.