The champions of the NFC North, the Detroit Lions, play host in this wildcard matchup with the 10-7 LA Rams at 8:15 PM EST on Sunday Night Football. Dan Campbell and Co. will be looking to give the Lions franchise its first playoff win since 1991. The Jared Goff vs. Matt Stafford narrative adds a little extra spice to an already intriguing matchup.
Get fired up and ready for Rams at Lions with our betting preview. We'll dive into the live odds, best bets, and some player props. Let's roll...
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions
This Rams team has won 7 of their last 8 and are currently riding a 4-game win streak. Cooper Kupp and Kyren Williams are finally healthy together and Puka Nacua completes a trio of explosive weapons for Matthew Stafford who will be facing his old franchise for the 1st time since his departure. On the other side, the Lions had a bit of a rocky finish to their season, going 4-3 in their last 7 games.
On the season, the Lions finished as the 5th best scoring team in the league, averaging 27.1ppg. Their offense was a balanced attack led by Jared Goff who had homerun threat, Amon-Ra St. Brown, at his disposal. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs provided a 2-man backfield that was a mix of strong running and good pass catching.
However, their star rookie tight end, Sam LaPorta suffered an injury in the regular season finale that has his status for this game up in the air. His 86 receptions broke Keith Jackson’s rookie record and his 889 yards, and 10 touchdowns set the Lions record for that position. If he is unable to go, it is a huge blow to the offense.
The Rams also have a balanced offensive attack with Kyren Williams breaking out for 1144 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground this season. Much like LaPorta, Puka Nacua had an incredible rookie season and finished with over 100 receptions, 1400 yards, and 6 touchdowns.
He is what kept the Rams going while both Williams and Kupp missed time due to injury during the season. Now, with everyone healthy, this offense may be one of the most underrated in these playoffs.
Best Bet: Lions -3
While the potential loss of LaPorta may slow down the Lions offense a tad, we believe it is the other side of the ball that will play the biggest factor. In 3 of their last 4 games, the Lions have held their opponents under their season scoring average.
One of those teams being the Dallas Cowboys, who are #1 in the league in scoring. Also, as you will see in the key trends below, the Lions are very comfortable playing the role of the favorite, while the Rams have struggled during their times as underdogs.
The other piece to this handicapping puzzle for us is the fact that it looks like the Rams are the public’s darling this wildcard weekend. 72% of the bets and 93% of the money is coming in on the Rams which leans us the other way.
With this being one of the last games of the weekend, be sure to see how the public fairs ahead of this one. If the public has a good Saturday and Sunday start, that could be a great sign for this Lions play.
Key Betting Trends for LA at Detroit
- LAR is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing as the underdog.
- LAR is 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games against an opponent in the National Football Conference North.
- Det is 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games.
- Det is 10-3 ATS in their last 13 games when playing as the favorite.
Best Player Props for Rams at Lions
We tried to make it a point to include some bonus prop bets for standalone games this season. It adds a little extra excitement and gives us an opportunity for higher profits. We aren't going to change that approach just because it's playoff time.
David Montgomery Anytime TD (-115) (BetMGM)
- Montgomery has scored in 7 of his last 9 games.
- LAR have allowed 3 rushing TDs in their last 2 games.
Matthew Stafford OVER 272.5 Passing Yards (-114) (FanDuel)
- Stafford has thrown for 277 or more yards in 4 of his last 5 games.
- The Lions allowed the 4th most passing yards on the season in the league.
1st Half Total UNDER 25.5 -110
- The Rams have gone under this total in 4 straight games.
- The Lions have gone under this total in 4 of their last 5 games.
