As the NFL season marches towards its conclusion, bettors perceive which groups are good, which groups are dangerous, and which groups don’t have any shot of reaching the postseason. All of that may play a task in how betting traces are made, change over the course of the week, and the way they’re guess on. Oftentimes, the favorites will obtain a majority of bets as a result of bettors perceive which group is healthier. However, sometimes, an underdog squeaks by the cracks and will get the chance to drag off an upset, however this time, bettors are seeing by it.
According to OddsChecker US, the Lions, regardless of opening up as 0.5-point underdogs at house to the Jacksonville Jaguars, are getting 70 p.c of the bets of their favor. And truthfully, I nonetheless assume that quantity is low.
This looks like an apparent case of “What have you done for me lately?” With Jacksonville coming off an exhilarating one-point victory over Baltimore, oddsmakers appeared inclined to make the Jaguars the favourite of their following recreation, regardless of having an terrible historical past of being the favourite on the highway. Do you understand the final time Jacksonville was favored on the highway? Week 1 of 2021 towards fellow punching bag Houston. The Jags misplaced by 16. Jacksonville hasn’t gained a recreation on the highway it was favored in since 2019, when the group beat the Bengals, 27-17. Cincy completed that season 2-14. Safe to say, this yr’s Lions are perhaps just a little higher than these Bengals have been.
Detroit is recent off a 28-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Lions misplaced by three factors to a Super Bowl contender, however are the underdogs at house now? That’s recency bias. Yes, Trevor Lawrence led an awesome game-winning drive to beat Baltimore, however you’ll be able to’t deny that the Lions have had a lot better outings as a complete. A 3-point loss to the Eagles. A four-point loss to the Vikings. A 3-point loss to the Seahawks. A four-point loss to the Dolphins. Wins over a scorching Chicago Bears squad, and the New York Giants. They held Aaron Rodgers to 9 factors! Jacksonville, however, misplaced to the Giants. The Jags misplaced by eight to the Eagles, and Philly has been much less spectacular because the season has progressed. Their solely spectacular wins have been Baltimore and a 38-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers…again in Week 3.
Yes, the Lions’ protection is atrocious, however the Jaguars’ isn’t a lot better. Detroit ranks useless final in yards allowed (414.5); the Jaguars rank twenty fourth (362.9). Both groups depend on turnovers to maintain their offense in video games, and whereas Jacksonville has secured extra takeaways than Detroit on the season (16 to 14), greater than half of the Jags’ takeaways got here within the first three weeks of the season after they began 2-1. Detroit, however, has pressured a minimum of one turnover in each recreation since Week 1. Yes, Jacksonville has picked their takeaway recreation up in latest weeks, having pressured six of their final three contests, however the Lions’ offense has dedicated solely three turnovers of their final 5 video games.
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Furthermore, Amon-Ra St. Brown goes to be an issue for Jacksonville’s protection. The Jaguars D surrendered 146 yards to Davante Adams three weeks in the past, and 134 yards to Michael Pittman only a few weeks prior. Receivers with heavy goal shares of their offense are inclined to do phenomenally properly towards Jacksonville’s secondary, and St. Brown is ninth in goal share (28.5 p.c) and first in targets per route run. When wholesome, he’s one of the concerned large receivers within the NFL and the Jaguars haven’t proven they know how you can defend towards somebody that dynamic. Considering that St. Brown’s greatest energy is his YAC-ability, and the Jaguars have allowed the fifth-most YAC and accrued the second-most missed tackles within the NFL. That’s simply extra dangerous information for the Duval County Cats.
After American bettors misplaced boatloads of cash betting on the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team to beat the Netherlands within the Round of 16, it’s good to see extra bettors coming to their senses and betting on the Lions, even when they’re an underdog. While something can occur on any given Sunday, the Lions have been too good lately to permit the Jaguars to stroll away with a straightforward win. I’m taking that +0.5 line day-after-day of the week.