Bucs vs. Lions Spread Prediction
With Jamies Winston expected to play following a thumb injury suffered last Sunday in a win over the Colts, the Bucs are now 5-point road favorites versus the Lions at 1:00 p.m. ET today. Is that too many points to lay on the 6-7 Bucs?
Game Snapshot
305 Tampa Bay Bucs (-5) at 306 Detroit Lions (+5); O/U 46
1:00 p.m. ET, Sunday, December 15, 2019
Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Public Betting Trends
According to our NFL Football Public Betting Chart page, the Bucs are receiving 63% of the betting tickets from online sportsbooks.
Tampa Bay Bucs Fantasy Spin
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Mike Evans (hamstring) is out for the season. This news reaffirms Jeremy Fowler’s report from Tuesday. The organization reportedly viewed the situation as one that made “no sense” for Evans to push himself and threaten any long-term damage. The 26-year-old has been nothing short of spectacular since being drafted as the No. 7 overall pick in 2014, joining Randy Moss as the only players in NFL history to record over 1,000 receiving yards through the first six seasons of their career. Evans also broke Tampa Bay’s previous franchise record for career receptions (430) with 462, finishing the year with 67/1,157/8 through 13 games played. He’ll be an early second-round option in Best-Ball leagues this summer no matter Jameis Winston’s contract situation.
Detroit Lions Fantasy Spin
Lions placed WR Marvin Jones on injured reserve with an ankle injury, ending his season. It will be the second straight season 29-year-old Jones has finished on injured reserve after a knee issue limited him to nine appearances in 2018. Jones was in the midst of an excellent campaign until Matthew Stafford’s back landed him on the shelf, though he still had a few productive games with Jeff Driskel and David Blough under center. His nine receiving scores are currently tied for second in the league. Three months shy of his 30th birthday, Jones is signed for $6.5 million next season. He figures to be retained at that price in the final year of his deal.
NFL Betting Trends
Tampa Bay
The Bucs are 4-0-1 against the spread in their last five games played in the month of December but are just 6-13-1 against the number in their last 20 games as a road favorite.
Detroit
The Lions have failed to cover in seven of their last eight games and are 1-6 against the number in their last seven conference games.
Prediction
The Lions failed to cover a week ago against the Vikings when I took them but I’m sorry, I’m not going to lay nearly a touchdown with a 6-7 Bucs team without Evans and with a banged-up Winston under center. The Lions have been competitive despite their 3-9 record and are 3-3 against the spread at home this season. I know that’s not a great mark but again, this is a principle play for me. The Bucs have played very well of late, winning three in a row, but they’re also overvalued. The drubbed an overconfident Falcons team 35-22 in Atlanta, they squashed a checked out Jaguars team in Jacksonville and put together a fierce rally to knock off a Colts team that is starting to fall apart.
NFL Week 15 Prediction: Detroit Lions +5