Point Spread provided by VietBet: Patriots -4
Total Line: 44
This Saturday night’s NFL preseason action features an interesting matchup between the perennial powerhouse New England Patriots and the up-and-coming Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Game time is set for 8 p.m. (ET) and it will be broadcast nationally on CBS.
New England is already set in a ‘Super Bowl or bust’ mode with a 42-12 victory over Jacksonville as a three-point home favorite in its first preseason game and a 31-14 romp over Tampa Bay last Thursday night as a 1.5-point road ‘underdog’. The total easily went ‘over’ the closing line in both games.
While the star power on this team has been held in check the first two games through limited action, the overall team appears to be in mid-season form. Tom Brady has only attempted 19 passes so far, but two have been completed for touchdowns. Wes Welker has caught five passes for 56 yards and Chad Ochocinco has two receptions for 14 yards and one TD. These three should be able to pad these stats on Saturday night with extended playing time against the Lions.
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Detroit is also off to a 2-0 start in the preseason with a 34-3 pasting of Cincinnati as a three-point home favorite followed by a 30-28 victory over Cleveland this past Friday as a 2.5-point road underdog. The total went ‘over’ in both of these games as well.
The health of quarterback Matthew Stafford has been the biggest concern for the Lions this offseason and so far all systems are go. He has looked extremely sharp in limited action, completing 12-of 17 attempts for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Jahvid Best will most likely sit this game out after leaving the Browns’ game with a mild concussion.
The ‘best bet’ in this matchup could be the ‘over’ as these are the two highest scoring teams in the NFL this preseason. The Patriots averaging 39 points a game and the Lions are averaging 32. Given that the starters should play well into the second half on Saturday night, conventional wisdom should make you lean towards New England verse the spread, but the free NFL pick in this game is Detroit plus the four points. Detroit head coach Jim Schwartz needs a motivational victory much more than his counterpart Bill Belichick does, so the Lions will be playing for the win in this one.
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