Will the Lions continue their high-powered offense or will Bill Belichick out scheme Ben Johnson in this matchup?
The Lions travel to New England to take on the Patriots this Sunday. Both teams are 1-3, which makes this a crucial game for each of them, to avoid falling too far behind their division rivals in the standings. The Patriots will be rocking their alternate uniforms and have mascot Pat Patriot painted on midfield this week at Gillette Stadium. I’ve done some digging into the current lines and props offered through DraftKings Sportsbook and will give my top five for this game.
Lions Moneyline +145
If Mac Jones was the starter this week, I would not be confident betting on the Lions to win. Even though their defense has struggled mightily this season, I don’t think Bailey Zappe, a third string Quarterback just a few weeks ago for the Patriots, will be able to light them up. Especially with the growing pressure on Aaron Glenn to develop an effective game plan and make adjustments to it as necessary, I expect at least a few defensive stops this week after not forcing the Seahawks to punt even once last Sunday.
Alternate Line: Over 49.5 Total Points Scored Between Lions and Patriots
The over/under line is currently set at 45.5, but that seemed too low for any game involving the Lions, who are currently leading the whole NFL in scoring. The Lions are averaging 35 points per game almost a quarter through this season, meanwhile the Patriots are averaging 18.5 points per game. I’m fairly confident that at least 50 points will be scored in this matchup, as many fantasy football managers will be paying attention to all offensive weapons involved.
DraftKings Weekly Special: Either Patriots Damien Harris Or Lions Jamaal Williams To Have 100+ Rushing Yards +140
Jamaal Williams had his first 100+ yard rushing day as a Lions Running Back last week and I expect him to pick up where he left off. With D’Andre Swift being ruled out, Williams will have a majority of the rushing workload for the Lions. Even if he falls short of the 100+ yard rushing mark, Damien Harris should have no issues eclipsing it. The Lions have given up a whopping 662 rushing yards through the first four games, meanwhile, Damien Harris has managed a steady 246 total rushing yards. He could have a career day if the Patriots decide to exploit Detroit’s young defense through the ground.
Lions TJ Hockenson: Anytime Touchdown Scorer +190
Hockenson balled out, plain and simple, last week against the Seahawks. He was heavily targeted in almost every way possible, including when Detroit got into the red zone. Hockenson has always been a great teammate and leader, but he has rarely been the focal point of the offense. If he wants to earn a new contract with the Lions as one of the top paid tight ends, he will have to be more consistently involved. Another big game receiving with a touchdown will certainly help prove he’s worth staying in Detroit and being involved in the game plan each week going forward.
Lions Aidan Hutchinson Over 0.75 Sacks +115
Other than the three sack performance against Washington in week two, Hutchinson has not stood out for Detroit’s defense. Campbell and Glenn have both mentioned in press conferences that they will be mixing things up and moving Hutchinson around to confuse the defense and open up more opportunities for Aidan to get after the QB. Bailey Zappe is not considered to be a mobile QB, much like Wentz, so this could be a great opportunity for Hutchinson to fill up the stat sheet once again and re-emerge as a Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate.
