Both the Detroit Lions and the Oakland Raiders have just hired new head coaches to run the show. In Detroit, Matt Patricia hopes he can steer the Lions to somewhere deeper than the wild card round of the playoffs, which Detroit hasn’t been in since 1991. As for the Raiders, Jon Gruden will look to rekindle the pass success he has had with the team several years ago. Going into this Week 2 preseason meeting, NFL Futures at the sportsbook list the Lions at +3000 to win the NFC, and the Raiders at +1400 to win the AFC.
Under new head coach and Bill Belichick protégé Matt Patricia, the Lions are hopeful that a bench boss change would be the key to the Lions becoming a team that is going to be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender. As for the game against the Raiders, don’t expect the Lions to put their starters that much on the field. Quarterback Matthew Stafford may play a series or two before letting Matt Cassell and Jake Ruddock share the signal-calling duties. The running backs and the wide receivers are also expected to utilize end-of-the-bench guys for most of the game, meaning a heavy dosage of Zach Zenner and Dwayne Washington in the backfield and Teo Redding, Jace Billingsley, Dontez Ford, Brandon Powell downfield.
The Lions are 4-1 ATS in their last five August games.
Betting on the Oakland Raiders (-3)
Like the Lions, Detroit will also have a different head coach than the one they had last season, with Jon Gruden coming back to take over Jack Del Rio’s job. While Derek Carr is unquestionably the team’s starting quarterback, his backup remains undetermined. These preseason games will help ascertain who between Connor Cook and EJ Manuel will be the No. 2 to Carr’s No. 1. The battle for the starting left tackle is also worth watching out for. Rookie Kolton Miller is currently above of everyone else in the position’s pecking order, but 35-year-old Donald Penn shouldn’t be counted out. If this is Miller’s job to lose, then he’ll be treating these preseason games a little bit more seriously.
The totals have hit the OVER in four of the Raiders’ last five preseason games at home.
