Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions Week 1 Preview: Best Bet, Odds, and Prediction
Lions and Rams Set for High-Scoring Prime-Time Battle in Week 1
Matthew Horner - Aug 28, 2024, 4:18pm EDT
Week 1 Matchup Preview: Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions
Date: September 8, 2024, 8:20 PM ET
Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
BetMGM Odds: Lions -185, Lions -3.5, O/U 51
The NFL season ramps up with a prime-time Sunday night clash between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions at Ford Field. The Lions, riding a wave of optimism and home-field advantage, are favored with BetMGM setting the odds at -185 and a spread of -3.5. The Rams, known for their explosive offense and strong defense, will look to make a statement under the bright lights. With the over/under set at 51, this game is anticipated to feature a high level of scoring. In this article, we’ll break down the best bets, odds, and predictions for this exciting Week 1 showdown.
My Best Bets: Rams +3.5 | Rams ML
The Lions fell just short of their first Super Bowl appearance last season, losing to San Francisco 34-31 in heartbreaking fashion, considering they were up 24-7 at halftime. They finished 14-6 ATS, the best team in the NFL at covering the spread. The public obviously knows this by now, and will bet accordingly.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles also made the playoffs last season when many did not think they had the talent to get there. They finished 10-8 on the season with an 11-6-1 ATS mark, but ultimately lost to this same Lions team in the Wild Card round 24-23. It was an extremely close game that came down to the wire, with each team exchanging blows.
This line has remained the same all summer, with Detroit being a -3.5 favorite. The total has moved down a notch, from 52 to 51 in some places, but overall we have not seen a ton of line movement here. However, you have to know that the public is going to be all in on the Lions after their 2023 season. I expect sportsbook liability to be heavy on the Lions in this game, which tells me that the Rams will once again be the sharp side of this contest. I’ll happily take the field goal with them, and I won’t be shocked if they win this game outright. L.A. is one of my favorite sleeper teams this season.
Also keep in mind that under Sean McVay, the Rams have gone 11-3 SU in the first two weeks of the season and 20-8 SU in the first month of the season.
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