Dan Campbell’s Lions are underdogs no more. For one week, at least.
Detroit is a 2.5-point home favorite at SI Sportsbook against the visiting Commanders for Week 2. This marks the first time the team is favored under Campbell, who is in his second season as the franchise’s head coach.
The Lions’ long standing underdog status predates Campbell, though. Detroit has not been favored in 24 consecutive games, the longest active NFL streak.
Detroit last entered a game as a favorite Nov. 22, 2020, against the Panthers, according to Pro Football Talk. The Lions lost, 20-0, at Carolina.
That’s not to say the Lions have been a bad team to bet on during this stretch. In fact, it’s quite the opposite.
Detroit was a boon for bettors last year and is off to a 1-0 start against the spread this season as well. The Eagles were six-point favorites at Ford Field against the Lions in Week 1 and were well on their way to covering in the second half, holding a 17-point lead. Detroit, however, stormed back with a 14-0 run. The upset bid fell short as the Lions fell, 38-35, but the cover was very much intact.
The the Lions’ 3-13-1 record last season earned them the No. 2 pick in the draft. Their impressive 11-6 mark ATS, the third-best in the league behind only the Cowboys and Packers, shows just how well they outperformed expectations.
Washington heads into this Week 2 bout as an underdog despite coming off a 28-22 win as a three-point home favorite against the Jaguars. The Commanders-Lions game is one of the 10 contests for SI Sportsbook’s Perfect 10 contest for Week 2.
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