The Detroit Lions are 4-7 through the first 12 weeks of the season. They’re a very long shot to play beyond Week 17 of this season, but pulling off a win against the Los Angeles Rams (+375 to win the Super Bowl) could be the highlight of their season at least. Will the Lions be the second team to beat the 10-1 Rams this season?
It’s probably unfair to give the Rams several days of extra rest given how dominant they have been this season, but that’s exactly what they just had during a bye in Week 11. That’s after they came out on top of an unforgettable barn burner of a game in a 54-51 home win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10. In that game, Rams quarterback Jared Goff went off for 413 passing yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions on 31-of-39 completions. Running back Todd Gurley was relatively silent in that contest with only 55 rushing yards on 12 carries, but he’s not really needed that much with receivers Brandin Cooks and Josh Reynolds catching almost anything that came their way downfield. Cooks had 107 receiving yards while Reynolds had 80 receiving yards. Reynolds is a revelation for the Rams, who’s going to see plenty of time on the field with receiver Cooper Kupp done for the season with a torn ACL. Aside from their offense, the Rams’ defense is also going to be a big problem for Detroit’s pathetic offensive line that has allowed 32 sacks thus far this season.
The Rams, who have 29.0 quarterback takedowns this season, are 8-2 SU and 5-5 ATS in their last 10 road games.
Betting on the Detroit Lions (4-7)
Matt Patricia’s first season as head coach of the Lions isn’t doing very well, obviously. The team has as many losses this season as they had in the previous two campaigns combined. The Lions are coming off a 23-16 loss to the Chicago Bears at home in which Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford committed costly mistakes in the fourth quarter, tossing two back-breaking interceptions that very much sealed the fate of Detroit. If anything, Lions running back LeGarrette Blount provided some semblance of offensive life for the team by rushing for 88 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 19 carries. Relying on Blount to carry the Lions past a team like the Rams seem to be foolish. Detroit needs a full-team effort, especially on offense. Although the Lions no longer have Golden Tate, second-year receiver Kenny Golladay has been effective for the team. Against the Bears, he had 90 receiving yards on five catches and eight targets. Pass-catching tailback Theo Riddick, meanwhile, had 49 receiving yards on seven catches and seven targets.
The Lions are 6-4 ATS in their last 10 home games.
