The Lions were the darlings of the NFL before being throttled in their last game and on Monday night host a Raiders’ team that is coming off a bad loss.
The Lions are a big 8.5-point favorite in this non-conference game with a total of 45.5. The public has been backing Detroit in this primetime game, as they opened as a 7.5-point favorite but are at 8.5 points as of Thursday.
The Raiders had won two in a row before a bad 30-12 loss to the Chicago Bears in their last game. They failed to cover the spread as a 2.5-point favorite and they had covered in their previous two games.
The Lions (5-2) were crushed in their last game losing to the Baltimore Ravens 38-6 on the road. They came nowhere near covering as a 3-point underdog and they had covered the spread in their previous four games.
Not a Good Showing in the Windy City
The Raiders were favorites in their last game facing the Bears but did not have a good showing in the loss. They were outgained 323 yards to 235 yards, only rushed for 39 yards, and had three turnovers without forcing any.
In the loss to Chicago Brian Hoyer passed for 129 yards and two TD and then rookie Aidan O’Connell came in and passed for 75 yards with a TD and a pick. Josh Jacobs rushed for only 35 yards and Davante Adams had seven catches for 57 yards.
Jimmy Garoppolo (1,079 yards 7 TD 8 INT), who ranks 20th in the NFL in QBR, missed the last game but is expected to be under center against Detroit.
The Las Vegas offense ranks third-to-last in the league in scoring (16 ppg), dead last in rushing yards per game, and 18th in passing yards per game.
Josh Jacobs (347 yards 2 TD) missed camp with a contract dispute and while he led the league in rushing yards last season has not rushed for over 77 yards in any game this season and is averaging a paltry 2.9 yards per carry.
Adams (528 yards 3 TD) leads the team in receiving yards but in the last three games has only averaged 43.7 yards per game.
The Raiders will be up against a Detroit defense that ranks 19th in the league in points against (21.6 ppg), 24th in pass D and second in rushing D.
A Game to Forget
The Lions have to get over their embarrassing 38-6 loss to the Ravens where they were outgained 503 yards to 337 yards, only rushed for 84 yards, and were outscored 28-0 in the first half.
In the Ravens’ loss Jared Goff passed for 284 yards with no TD and one INT, Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 68 yards and a TD, and Amon-Ra St. Brown had 102 receiving yards.
The Detroit offense ranks eighth in scoring (24.9 ppg) and has balance ranking fourth and 11th, respectively, in passing and rushing yards per game.
Goff (1,902 yards 11 TD 4 INT) ranks fifth in the league in both passing yards and QBR and had five TD and no picks before the last game where he did not have a score and was picked off.
David Montgomery (385 yards 6 TD) leads the Lions in rushing yards and missed the last game and is questionable to face the Raiders.
Goff and company will be facing a Raiders’ defense that ranks 22nd in points against (23 ppg), fifth against the pass, and 24th against the run.
Betting Trends
The Raiders are 1-4-1 ATS in their last six road games.
The Raiders are 6-1 ATS in their last seven games facing a team with a winning record.
The Raiders have an Under record of 4-1 in their last five games.
The Lions are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 home games.
The Lions are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games following a straight up loss.
The Lions have an Over record of 9-4 in their last 13 home games.