Lions Odds: Detroit Favored On The Road Against 1-4 Jacksonville Jaguars

The 2020 NFL Season hasn’t provided the Detroit Lions with a lot of positives.

Will Week 6 be a different story when they go on the road to face the Jacksonville Jaguars?

Oddsmakers think it could be. What do Michigan sports betting fans think?

Oddsmakers see Lions as a road favorite

Despite a 1-3 start to the season, the Lions have an edge, albeit a small one, for Sunday’s game.

Coming off a bye, the Detroit Lions travel to Jacksonville (1-4) for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff on Sunday. The game airs live on FOX.

Oddsmakers back the Lions in this one, despite a 35-29 loss at home to the New Orleans Saints in Week 4. Detroit is largely listed as a 3.5-point favorite against the Jags. The over/under total is listed at 54.5 points by the majority of sportsbooks.

Lions at Jaguars Week 6 odds	BetMGM	BetRivers	DraftKings	FanDuel	PointsBet
Point spread (-110 juice unless noted)	DET -3 JAC +3	DET -3 -113 JAC +3 -108	DET -3 -113 JAC +3 -108	DET -3 JAC +3	DET -3 JAC +3
Moneyline	DET -159 JAC +135	DET -159 JAC +140	DET -159 JAC +140	DET -158 JAC +134	DET -160 JAC +135
Total points (-110 juice unless noted)	O 54.5 U 54.5	O 54.5 U 54.5	O 54.5 U 54.5	O 54.5 U 54.5	O 54.5 U 54.5

Opening odds at DraftKings had the Lions as just a 1.5-point favorite. That climbed up to 3.5 on Sunday before slightly dipping to a field goal on Monday. The spread is back at 3.5 points.

These two franchises have met six times in their history. Each team owns three wins. The last contest was a 26-19 win in Detroit for the Lions on Nov. 20, 2016.

The Lions have covered the spread in their last two meetings with the Jaguars.

Public betting trends are siding with the Lions right now, as Detroit is getting around 60% of the wagers against Jacksonville.

Lions hoping to start a win streak out of the bye

The Lions’ record is just 1-3 right now, but a look at their schedule indicates they could be a team to catch fire if they make some adjustments.

Four of their next five games come against teams with one win or less. The problem for the Lions is, they are also a one-win team.

Third-year coach Matt Patricia is just 10-25-1 in his run with the Lions. Hired for his defensive mind, Patricia’s team is giving up 31.8 points and 405 yards per game. Both of those stats rank in the bottom five of the NFL.

Detroit’s run defense is dead last in the league, allowing 170.3 yards per game.

The Lions also have a nonexistent pass rush, amassing just five sacks as a team. The turnover situation isn’t much better, as the Lions have created just four turnovers in four games.

Offensively, the Lions also rank in the bottom half of the league at 24.8 points and 334 yards per game.

Matthew Stafford has thrown for 1,017 yards and eight touchdowns with three interceptions. He has been sacked 12 times.

The Lions are kicking the tires on Adrian Peterson in the backfield. He has rushed for a team-high 245 yards and a score on 54 carries.

Jaguars trying to get back on track

Jacksonville picked up a solid 27-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts to open the season but have since lost four straight.

In all four losses, the Jags have given up at least 30 points. Those games have been against Tennessee, Miami, Cincinnati and Houston.

Like Detroit, Jacksonville ranks near the bottom of the NFL defensively by allowing 29.4 points and 416.8 yards per game. Their pass defense is fourth-worst in the league, giving up 280.2 yards per game.

Last Sunday, Jacksonville was without three of its top defenders in linebacker Myles Jack, defensive end Josh Allen, and cornerback CJ Henderson. All were inactive due to injury and their status for Sunday is unclear.

Offensively, the Jags produce 21.8 points and 366.4 yards per game. It’s nothing to write home about.

Quarterback Gardner Minshew II has thrown for 1,439 yards and 10 touchdowns this year, but the Jags have been playing from behind most of the season. Minshew has four interceptions and has been sacked 16 times.

Minshew could be without one of his top targets, DJ Chark, due to an ankle injury. Chark left last Sunday’s game with Houston in the fourth quarter and didn’t return. Chark sat out Wednesday’s practice as well.

Rookie running back James Robinson has been a positive for Jacksonville. He has rushed for 333 yards and three scores, while adding 19 receptions for 183 yards. Robinson is likely to be a focus against the Lions’ run defense.