Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions, 12/16/18 NFL Predictions & Odds

Bills vs. Lions Prediction

Can the Detroit Lions keep their slim playoff hopes alive today when they go on the road to face the Buffalo Bills at 1PM ET?

Game Snapshot & Odds

315 Detroit Lions at 316 Buffalo Bills

Sunday, December 16, 2018

1PM ET – New Era Field

TV: FOX

Public Betting Trends

According to oddsmakers at BetNow.eu, the Bills are the slight favorite at home, as they are getting odds of -2.5 points against the Lions. The over/under total is currently listed at 40 points. The public betting for this game currently has 61 percent going on the Bills at home.

Bills back on a skid

The Bills looked as if they were building momentum, but have suffered back-to-back 4-point losses to the Dolphins and the Jets the last two weeks. Buffalo is 4-9 on the season, 5-8 against the spread and 7-6 with the under. The Bills failed to cover in five of their last seven games

Buffalo has the 31^st-ranked offense in the league. The Bills are averaging just 15.5 points and 292 yards per game this season. Rookie QB Josh Allen has thrown for just 1,429 yards and five touchdowns with nine interceptions, but he has rushed for a team-high 490 yards and five scores. The offense has given up 39 sacks on the year and they are expecting to be without LeSean McCoy today due to a hamstring injury. Despite the poor offense, Buffalo does have one of the best defenses in the league. They allow a league-low 290.6 yards per game, but still give up 24.6 points per contest. They have the top pass defense, giving up only 185.8 yards per game through the air. The Bills have 31 sacks and 20 forced turnovers.

Lions on life support for playoffs

The Detroit Lions snapped a two-game losing streak last week with a 17-3 win at Arizona. Despite being 5-8, the Lions actually have some playoff hopes, but will need to win out. The Lions are 5-8 overall, 7-6 against the spread and 7-6 with the under. They are also just 2-5 ATS in their last seven.

Detroit is scoring just 20.8 points per game and amassing just 330.6 yards per game on offense this season. The unit is really beat up as multiple starters on the offensive line are out or questionable while running back Kerryon Johnson out today from his knee injury that has kept him out of multiple games. Quarterback Matthew Stafford is also dealing with multiple injuries, but will battle through them. He has thrown for 3,187 yards and 18 touchdowns with 11 interceptions, but has been sacked 37 times. Kenny Golladay is his leading receiver with 57 catches for 859 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, the Lions are giving up 24.5 points and 348.7 yards per game. The unit lost pass rusher Ezekiel Ansah for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. They still have 37 sacks as a team this season.

NFL Betting Trends

Buffalo

Buffalo is 1-4 against the spread in their last five games following a loss, but 4-1 ATS in their last five Week-15 games.

Detroit

The Lions are 15-5-1 against the spread in their last 21 games against a team with a losing record and 9-19 ATS in their last 28 games in December.

Prediction:

This is certainly a game I could see either team winning, but the injuries are just mounting up for Detroit and making them a very simplified football team. Their offense is very conservative right now and that’s not typically a recipe for success in the NFL. Buffalo has a defense that will be able to take advantage of the conservative play calling as Allen continues to improve as a QB for the Bills’ offense. Look for Buffalo to pull this low-scoring game out late.

NFL Prediction: Buffalo Bills -2.5

Related: Lions vs. Bills Total Prediction