The Buffalo Bills (10-3) visit the Detroit Lions (12-1) in a battle between Super Bowl contenders. Our Bills vs. Lions prediction is for Detroit to cover the 1-point spread and for the teams to score less than 54.5 points.
Head-to-head, Buffalo leads with a record of 7-4-1.
Offshore Odds: Detroit is a Very Slight Favorite at Home
| Team | Spread | Money Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | +1 (+108) | +124 | O 54.5 (-107) |
| Lions | -1 (-128) | -144 | U 54.5 (-113) |
Buffalo’s Loss to LA Made Their Road Tougher
After defeating Kansas City, Buffalo needed to hold serve in its remaining games and hope that KC got picked off again to secure the top seed in the AFC, a bye to the second round, and a clearer road to the Super Bowl.
The Rams’ 44-42 win over the Bills was perhaps the best game of the season for entertainment purposes, but not so much for the Bills’ championship hopes.
Buffalo’s schedule eases up after visiting Detroit. They play New England twice in the final three weeks, sandwiching a game against the Jets. They need to beat the Lions and get significant help to catch Kansas City and stay ahead of Pittsburgh in the conference.
Quarterback Josh Allen burnished his MVP credentials when he accounted for six touchdowns in the loss to the Rams. Detroit’s defense is beaten up and has surrendered chunks of yardage through the air. Expect Allen to come out firing.
Detroit Must Keep the Train Rolling
Philadelphia and Minnesota are right behind Detroit in the NFC. They must keep winning as they do not want their final game of the season against Minnesota to matter to them in any way.
But it might if they lose to Buffalo.
Allen’s MVP case is clear, but Lions quarterback Jared Goff has an argument of his own. With 25 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions (five of which came in the same game, which they won), and a 109.1 passer rating, the Lions’ success hinges on his game-management skills.
Detroit is on its way to having two 1,000-yard rushers in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery. Buffalo’s vulnerability to the run is an exploitable area for Detroit. Even worse for Buffalo is that their secondary is without cornerback Rasul Douglas. Safety Damar Hamlin is questionable with a back problem.
Buffalo is first in the NFL in takeaway differential. Detroit cannot give Allen extra shots with the ball to let him perform his solo show.
Bills vs Lions Prediction: Detroit Will Continue Its Win Streak
These are two of the best teams in the league. Detroit leads the NFL in average points per game and Buffalo is second. Detroit’s defense has had its shaky moments, especially against the pass.
Except for its four-point loss to Tampa Bay in Week 2, Detroit has met and exceeded every challenge in its path accruing a 12-1 record and status as a Super Bowl favorite. That will continue as they cover the 1-point spread. The point total should come in under 54.5.
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