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The Detroit Lions vs. Denver Broncos spread was still coming in at -3 on Saturday. You can place a bet on this game at Sportsbook.com here.
Sportsbook.comLine & Total: Detroit -3 (-105) & 43
Opening Line & Total: Lions -3 & 42
Tim Tebow mania returns home when Denver hosts reeling Detroit on Sunday.
Both teams will be missing their top running backs as Detroit’s Jahvid Best is still suffering from concussion-like symptoms and Denver’s Willis McGahee could miss 3-to-4 weeks with a fractured bone in his hand. Despite back-to-back losses at home, the Lions have a nice opportunity to keep their recent run of road wins going. Dating back to last December, they’ve won five road games in a row SU while going 4-0-1 ATS, and they have a clear advantage over a rebuilding Denver team. While the Lions defense is susceptible to straight-ahead, power running, they have the athleticism to contain improvising QB Tim Tebow and erratic RB Knowshon Moreno, who is averaging 3.2 yards per carry. And even with Matthew Stafford not 100 percent coming off an ankle injury, offensively the Lions have the weapons to move the ball easily against a Denver defense that’s been torched by good offenses.
Stafford is expected to start on Sunday, but backup QB Shaun Hill is capable of having a strong game if he’s called upon. The 23-year-old Stafford has thrown 16 touchdowns this season and just 4 INT. WR Calvin Johnson has 10 of those TD (tops in NFL) and ranks fourth in the league with 679 receiving yards. He’ll likely be covered by perennial Pro Bowl CB Champ Bailey, but Johnson has the five-inch height advantage in this matchup. Although Best will be missed, the two-pronged rushing attack of Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams worked out very well last week as the pair combined for 94 yards on 18 carries (5.2 YPC).
Detroit’s defense is one of eight teams in the league allowing less than 20 points per game, as Dallas is the only opponent that has scored 30 against them. The Lions rank 10th in the league in total defense (334 YPG) despite having the NFL’s fifth-worst rushing defense, surrendering 129 YPG. Detroit has 15 takeaways, forcing 2+ TO in five of its seven games this season. Two injuries of minor concern with the Lions defense are backups DE Willie Young (calf) and S Vincent Fuller (elbow), who are both questionable to play on Sunday.
Tebow led his team to an impressive comeback in Miami with 2 TD passes in the last 2:44 of regulation to force overtime, where Matt Prater won the game with a 52-yard field goal. Tebow finished the day 13-of-27 for 161 yards. Without his top RB McGahee, look for Denver to call more running plays for the second-year QB, who has 102 yards on 15 carries (6.8 YPC) this year. RB Knowshon Moreno has been bothered by a hamstring injury and only has 17 carries on the season. He’s also an able pass catcher, with 37 receptions last year. With the team’s top receiver, Brandon Lloyd, traded to St. Louis last week, it appears WR Demaryius Thomas will have a larger role in the offense. Thomas was targeted 10 times by Tebow against Miami, but only caught three of those passes for 27 yards. TE Daniel Fells made two huge catches late in the fourth quarter against the Dolphins, which will likely earn him more than the four targets he received last week. Rookie WR Eric Decker started his first NFL season strong, but has had two lackluster performances in the past two games, totaling just four catches for 17 yards.
Denver’s defense came up big last week, albeit against a weak Miami offense, holding its opponent to 267 total yards. Overall, the Broncos rank 18th against the run (119 YPG) and 19th in passing defense (248 YPG).
- Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com
