Sunday Night Football almost always gets the best game of the week. Certainly, that is the case for Wild Card Weekend. The Detroit Lions will host the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC Playoffs. The matchup promises quality football and dramatic storylines. Rams QB Mathew Stafford returns to the stadium where most of his career was wasted for poorly run Lion teams. Rams coach Sean McVay traded Lion QB Jared Goff away in favor of Stafford. It was an ugly parting for McVay and Goff, who holds a grudge and wants NFL odds revenge.
Los Angeles Rams vs. Detroit Lions NFL Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Sunday, January 14, 2024, 8 p.m. ET. |
|---|---|
| Location: | Ford Field, Detroit, MI. |
| TV Coverage: | NBC/Peacock |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rams | +3½ -115 | 51½ -110 | +150 |  |
| Lions | -3½ -105 | 51½ -110 | -180 | |
| ||||
Los Angeles Rams Team Overview
Last game, the Los Angeles Rams won 21-20 against the San Francisco 49ers as 5.5-point road dogs. The game went over the online betting total of 40. Los Angeles has a record of 10-7 straight up, 10-6-1 against the spread, and 9-8 over/under the total. Los Angeles ranks 7th for total offense, 10th for passing, 11th for rushing, and 8th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 20th overall, 20th against the pass, 12th against the rush, and 19th for points allowed. Also, LA ranks 9th for the fewest turnovers lost and 29th for takeaways.
Last year, head coach Sean McVay seriously contemplated stepping away after a miserable 5-12 season that came on the heels of a Super Bowl championship. Instead, he returned and fought through a terrible 3-6 start to finish 7-1 down the stretch to gain the playoffs. Also, he was able to restore his coaching reputation.
Overall, Matthew Stafford finished with a 92.5 QB rating, 3965 yards, and a 24/11 TD/INT ratio. RB Kyren Williams rushed for 1144 yards, 5.0 YPC, and 12 TDs. Stafford’s favorite target was WR Puka Nacua (105 catches, 1486 yards, six TDs, 689 first downs). Of great concern is that WR Cooper Kupp had a steep drop in production (59 catches, 12.5 YPC, and 5 TDs). While not bad, it was Kupp’s worst season since 2018. Also, he missed five games.
Detroit Lions Team Overview
Last game, the Detroit Lions won 30-20 against the Minnesota Vikings as 4-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 47.5. Detroit has a record of 12-5 straight up, 12-5 against the spread and 11-6 over/under the total. Detroit ranks 3rd for total offense, 2nd for passing, 5th for rushing, and 5th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 19th overall, 27th against the pass, 2nd against the rush, and 23rd for points allowed. Also, Detroit ranks 19th for the fewest turnovers lost and 17th for takeaways.
Detroit finished the season strong with four consecutive payouts. Detroit won the NFC North Division title for the first time since 1993 when it was the NFC Central. The Lions are making their first playoff appearance since 2016. General manager Rod Wood and head coach Dan Campbell have finally solved the riddle of how to win with the Lions. Also helping is owner Sheila Ford Hamp, who grew up watching the countless errors made by her family’s ownership.
Matt Campbell is in his third season as Detroit coach. While not perfect and sometimes erratic, Campbell has a leadership presence that players respond to.
Certainly, Jared Goff has flourished since leaving the Rams, where he won an NFC title but was the scapegoat for Sean McVay’s playoff failures at that time. In 2023, Goff posted a 97.9 QBR with 4575 yards passing and a 30/12 TD/INT ratio.
RB David Montgomery was another key contributor for the Lions. To summarize, Montgomery rushed for 1015 yards, 4.6 YPC, and 13 TDs. Jahmyr Gibbs added 945 yards rushing, 5.2 YPC, and 10 TDs. Meanwhile, Goff’s favorite target was Amon-Ra St. Brown (119 catches, 1515 yards, 12.7 YPC, and ten TDs with 75 first downs).
At the same time, DE Aidan Hutchinson added 11.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss on defenses.
Rams at Lions SBG Free Picks
In this situation, the Lions are the more complete team for the NFL betting odds.
Rams at Lions SBG Best Bet: Detroit Lions.