Browns vs. Lions Pick
Can the Detroit Lions get over the .500 mark and pick up a sizable win over the Cleveland Browns when the two teams meet up today at 1PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at Bovada.lv, Detroit is favored at home, as the Lions are getting odds of -10.5 points against the Browns. The over/under total for the contest has been set at 43.5 points. Detroit has won six of its last seven meetings with the Browns and they are 6-2 against the spread in the last eight meetings. The public betting in this one has the Lions getting 60 percent of the wagers at home. Today’s game takes place at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The game will air live on CBS.
The Lions snapped a three-game losing streak with a 30-17 win at Green Bay on Monday. Detroit is now 4-4 overall and 4-4 against the spread. They have covered in all of their wins. Detroit is averaging 25.8 points and 356.4 yards per game on offense this year. Matthew Stafford has thrown for 2,212 yards and 14 touchdowns with just four interceptions. However, he has been sacked 26 times and has a poor run game. Ameer Abdullah is the leading rusher with 417 yards and two touchdowns, but is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. The pass protection and run game could get a boost today as Taylor Decker makes his season debut. The first round pick in 2016 suffered a torn labrum early in training camp. Golden Tate is the leading receiver for the Lions with 50 receptions for 562 yards while Marvin Jones Jr. has five touchdown receptions. The Detroit defense is allowing 23.3 points and 355.3 yards per game. Glover Quin and Darius Slay each have three interceptions to lead the unit.
The Browns are coming off a 33-16 loss to the Vikings two weeks ago before their bye week. Cleveland is now 0-8 on the season with 2-6 mark against the spread. Both covers came at home. The Browns have been a mess on offense, averaging just 14.9 points and 317.9 yards per game this season. DeShone Kizer has thrown for 1,144 yards and three touchdowns, but has 11 interceptions. Kevin Hogan has been injured and could be available for this game, but he has four TD passes with 5 INTs this year. Isaiah Crowell is the leading rusher with 351 yards and a score while Duke Johnson Jr. is the leading receiver with 36 catches for 324 yards. Johnson is questionable for today’s game due to a concussion. Defensively, Cleveland is allowing 25.3 points and 326.1 yards per game.
I am not sure that Taylor Decker returning cures of all Detroit’s issues on the offensive line. They will be without T.J. Lang at guard due to a concussion, so they are still plugging up holes up front. However, Stafford should be much more comfortable with Decker protecting his blind side. The Ohio State product had a great rookie season and could be a top-10 tackle sooner rather than later. His protection should help Stafford carve up a banged-up Cleveland secondary while the Lions defense locks up the struggling Cleveland offense.
NFL WEEK 10 PREDICTION: DETROIT LIONS -10.5