Rams vs. Lions Week 1 Odds
DETROIT, MI (The Spread) – The Lions will kick off their season by hosting a Rams team that should be much improved in 2012.
ST. LOUIS: The Rams have a new head coach in Jeff Fisher, a new general manager in Les Snead and a new outlook overall. But thanks to a poor offensive line, a shaky defense and a quarterback in Sam Bradford who has yet to win a big game, St. Louis will struggle again in 2012. Still, the Rams vastly upgraded their cornerback position this offseason with the additions of Cortland Finnegan and rookie Janoris Jenkins, and their receiving corps should be better as well.
DETROIT: The Lions had a tumultuous offseason as multiple players ran afoul of the law, but with all of that behind them they’ll look to qualify for the postseason for the first time since the mid-90s. Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson form one of the most explosive quarterback-wide receiver tandems in the league and Scott Linehan’s vertical passing attack should once again fire on all cylinders. But Detroit didn’t do enough to upgrade its defense so it could be difficult for the Lions to make the postseason. Still, they should be in the mix all season.
ODDS: The Lions opened as 9-point favorites and that’s currently where the spread sits. The total, meanwhile, is 46.5 and 74% of the NFL betting public currently favors the Lions –9.
TRENDS: The Rams are 2-11 against the spread in their last 13 NFC games, 1-9 ATS in their last 10 road games and 1-10-1 ATS in their last 12 Week 1 games. The Lions are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven September games but 0-5 ATS in their last five games versus the NFC. The over is also 4-1 in the Lions’ last five games in Week 1 and 3-0-1 in the Rams’ last four games in September.
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