Lions vs. 49ers Predictions, Picks & Odds: Monday Night Football, 12/30
To wrap up the NFL Week 17 slate, we head out west to San Francisco to see the 49ers hosting the Detroit Lions, which is no longer a potential playoff preview. Of course, that certainly doesn’t mean that we aren’t in store for a graet matchup, so we’ve still got our Lions vs. 49ers predictions for you.
That means a combination of a best bet from our Lions vs. 49ers picks and a brand new $250 FanDuel Sportsbook sign up bonus to take you through!
Lions vs. 49ers Predictions for Monday Night Football, NFL Week 17
When it comes to overall Lions vs. 49ers predictions, it’s a matchup where both sides should have clear strategies in mind in terms of where to attack the other. For example, we expect San Francisco to lean heavily on QB Brock Prudy’s arm with the Detroit defense superior stopping the run and weak against the pass.
Conversely, it should be Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs establishing the ground game against a San Francisco defense that excels against the pass, but struggles against the run. That means the outcome of this game comes down to which team can exploit the other’s weakness the best.
While that is often the case, these teams are quite polarizing in their strengths and weaknesses. We’re still willing to focus on a side for the best bet from our Lions vs. 49ers predictions, but we’re going to isolate a portion of the game.
Detroit Lions: Leading The Way
If there was one team that became a huge fan of the Washington Commanders last weekend, it was the Lions. With Detroit losing two weeks ago to snap their 11-game winning streak, the Philadelphia Eagles were in position to steal the #1 seed in the NFC.
However, getting upset by the Commanders derailed that quest, but it’s stil not a clear path for the Lions, either. In their own division no less, the Minnesota Vikings have the same 13-2 record. So, Detroit will also be huge fans of the Green Bay Packers - at least for one Sunday that is.
San Francisco 49ers: Getting Over The Shock
Ok, it may not have been a complete shock given the shaky season all year long, but the 49ers missing the playoffs is not something nearly anyone can say that they expected. Injuries to stars like RB Christian McCaffrey and WR Brandon Aiyuk were obviously major blows, but even still the team wasn’t as strong as anticipated.
Their defense has been exceptionally disappointing, but again, there were injuries on that side of the ball as well. Perhaps what will be the most interesting aspect of their offseason will be the situation with Purdy, as they’ve been fortunate to have him on his rookie contract to help them try and create the best possible roster these past few seasons.
Lions vs. 49ers Odds, Spreads, Total & Betting Lines
We noted that we’d be sticking with a side when it came to the Lions vs. 49ers odds, but while isolated part of the game. You can see the standard lines at FanDuel Sportsbook below:
- Point Spread: Detroit Lions -3 (-120) vs. San Francisco 49ers +3 (+100)
- Money Line: Detroit Lions (-185) vs. San Francisco 49ers (+155)
- Game Total (Over/Under): Over 50.5 (-110) vs. Under 50.5 (-110)
Lions vs. 49ers Best Bet: Detroit -2.5 First Half Point Spread (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Before diving into the focus of our Lions vs. 49ers predictions, if you’re one to simply prefer sticking to the standard lines, we’d also be willing to take Detroit in that respect with the point spread having ticked down from 3.5 points to an even three.
That provides us with the push condition for the most key number, and road favorites have been the best trend for bettors when it comes to wagering on the spread. While that’s been a solid trend, and even more glaring trend has been Detroit getting off to fast starts.
In terms of covering the spread in the first half of games, the Lions are a remarkable 12-3! The last time we took this approach, it was on Thanksgiving Day, and Detroit entered the halftime locker room with a 16-0 lead. It’s primarily been thanks to elite scoring in the first two quarters, and we expect that to continue.
We’ve already shared what each team needs to do against the other, and there is no denying that the Lions have the ground game to exploit the 49ers - they average just a tick under 144 rushing yards per game. On the flip side, we don’t trust that San Francisco has the passing attack to exploit Detroit’s weakness.
WIthout several weapons, they are heavily reliant on TE George Kittle, but the Lions are the absolute best defense against that position. With how these teams match up, we love locking in the best bet from our Lions vs. 49ers predictions on Detroit -2.5 in the first half (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook).
Lions vs. 49ers Injury Report & Latest News
Unfortunately, these teams are completely riddled with injuries. From RBs McCaffrey and Detroit’s David Montgomery to defensive stars and everything in between, injury news for these squads should always be monitored. Although many of them are on injured reserve at this point, it is always worth checking in with the Fantasy Alarm NFL Injury Report for the latest news and updates.
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