Pulse Found, But Detroit Lions Still Underdogs For Week 16 Visit To Atlanta Falcons

Only three games to go!

The Detroit Lions’ odds are improving on a game-by-game basis as the team is finally starting to see some favorable results.

After earning their second win in three games, the Lions were just 4.5-point underdogs to the host Atlanta Falcons for their Week 16 matchup on Sunday (though BetRivers Sportsbook had it at 5 points on Monday).

However, by close to game time on Sunday, with quarterback Jared Goff ruled out, the line had moved all the way to 7 points at Michigan sportsbooks.

The over/under was set at 42.5 points for the Falcons (6-8) and Lions (2-11-1). There was a little variance on Sunday morning, as PointsBet Sportsbook had it at 43 points.

The kickoff is set for 1 p.m. EST on Fox.

Detroit Lions at Atlanta Falcons: NFL Week 16 Odds

Lions earn another victory by dominating Arizona

The Lions earned a feel-good, 30-12 victory on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at Ford Field.

Quarterback Jared Goff was legitimately good once again, continuing to shake off the stink of his rough first half of the season. He finished 21-for-26 passing with 216 yards and three touchdowns.

Running back Craig Reynolds had another strong game, rushing for 112 yards on 26 carries.

Detroit is now 9-5 against the spread this season, which puts the team among the NFL’s best in that category.

Still, there’s not much to show for it in the real-life win column for coach Dan Campbell’s bunch, whose most significant result this season has to do with NFL Draft position.

After Sunday’s win, the Lions are now in the No. 2 position for the NFL Draft, while Jacksonville takes the top spot for now at 2-12.

Host Falcons desperate for a win as playoff hopes fade

Atlanta is barely clinging to playoff hopes after Sunday’s 31-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers.

Atlanta was 11th in the NFC playoff race after the setback, needing to jump a handful of teams to get into the expanded seven-team conference playoff field.

Quarterback Matt Ryan, one of the league’s longest-tenured starters, is still at the helm. He’s thrown for 3,104 yards this season, completing 17 touchdowns and throwing 11 interceptions.

The Falcons are sputtering on the ground, led in rushing by Mike Davis in Sunday’s loss, as he compiled 21 yards on the ground on six carries. Davis is matched up head-to-head with the currently injured D’Andre Swift in some season-long NFL prop bets that we report on most weeks.

Bettors should also keep an eye on the injury report and COVID-19 illness updates throughout the week. Those developments could move the betting figures significantly in such a volatile time.