Buffalo Bills at Detroit Lions betting Preview & Predictions

<p>The Detroit leg of Thanksgiving Day NFL football betting action usually offers an uninteresting match-up because the Lions are usually so bad. But Motor City’s Kitties ride a three-game win-ning streak into Thursday afternoon’s battle with 7-3 Buffalo.</p>
<p>The Bills actually just won a game at Ford Field last Sunday. Now they’re back four days later to play what looks like an improving Lions team.</p>
<p>Buffalo’s still favored by almost double-digits for this one. Which way are we going with our free NFL betting pick?</p>
<h2>NFL Betting Lines</h2>
<p>The Week 12 NFL betting odds opened Buffalo as a 9.5-point favorite for Thursday, with an over/under of right around 52. Early betting action then goosed that total to 54.</p>
<h2>Bills-Lions NFL Betting Preview</h2>
<p>Buffalo just snapped a two-game losing skid by beating Cleveland in Detroit Sunday 31-23. The Bills, displaced due to a wicked snowstorm at home, spotted the Browns the first seven points of the game and trailed 10-3 well into the second quarter. But Buffalo scored twice in five minutes to take a 13-10 lead into halftime, then scored the first 15 points of the second half to go up 28-10 and held on from there.</p>
<p>However, the Bills gave away the cover at -8 when they allowed a Cleveland touchdown with 19 seconds left.</p>
<p>Buffalo got out-gained by the Browns 396-357 but won the ground battle 171-80, turned the only take-away of the game into three points and blocked a Cleveland field goal.</p>
<p>The Bills have now out-gained eight of their 10 opponents this season and out-rushed seven of their 10 foes.</p>
<p>Two weeks ago Buffalo blew a 27-10 third-quarter lead and lost at home to Minnesota 33-30 in overtime. Three weeks ago the Bills blew a 14-3 second-quarter lead and lost at the Jets 20-17. But prior to that Buffalo won four straight, including victories over Baltimore and Kansas City.</p>
<p>At 7-3 overall the Bills are tied with Miami for the lead the AFC East, although Buffalo trails the head-to-head tie-breaker with the Dolphins because of a 21-19 loss suffered back in Sep-tember. Buffalo also needs five more wins over its last seven games to play over its season wins over/under, which was 11.5.</p>
<p>The Lions, meanwhile, own their first three-game winning streak since 2017 after beating the Giants on the road last Sunday 31-18. Detroit, playing as a three-point underdog, scored the first three points of the game and led 17-6 at the half. The Lions then drove the opening posses-sion of the second half 56 yards to a touchdown to go up three scores and cruised home from there.</p>
<p>Detroit actually got out-gained by New York 413-325 but out-rushed the Giants 160-89 and won the turnover battle 3-0, creating a +14 points differential.</p>
<p>The Lions have now been out-gained by each of their last seven opponents. But they’ve also out-rushed two of their last three foes and own a +6 turnover ratio over that span.</p>
<p>Two weeks ago Detroit rallied from a 24-10 fourth-quarter deficit to beat Chicago 31-30. Three weeks ago the Lions got out-gained by Green Bay by 135 yards but won 15-9.</p>
<p>At 4-6 overall Detroit trails San Francisco by two games in the battle for the No. 7 spot in the NFC playoff standings. But the Lions also only need three more wins over their last seven games to play over their season wins O/U, which was 6.5.</p>
<p>On the injury front, Detroit CB Okudah is out and the offensive line might be down a couple regulars while Buffalo is banged-up on defense. Bills QB Allen is listed as questionable with that sore elbow but the oddsmakers seem to think he’s playing.</p>
<h2>Common Opponents</h2>
<p>These two teams have played three common opponents so far this season; the Packers, Vikings and Dolphins. Buffalo played those three foes to 1-2 SU, 0-3 ATS but +88 yards per game, De-troit to 1-2 SU, 2-1 ATS but -58 YPG.</p>
<h2>Bills-Lions History </h2>
<p>These teams, who’ve only met 11 times before, last met four seasons ago, a 14-13 Bills win. Josh Allen, late in his rookie season, quarterbacked Buffalo that day against Matt Stafford for the Lions.</p>
<h2>NFL Betting Trends</h2>
<ul>
<li>Home teams are 85-72 SU, 77-78 ATS in the NFL this season.</li>
<li>Home dogs are 32-32 SU, 37-26 ATS in the NFL this season.</li>
<li>Favorites are 98-64 SU but only 68-91 ATS (43 percent) in the NFL this season.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Totals Report</h2>
<ul>
<li>The Unders are 7-3 in Bills games this season, which are averaging 45 total points.</li>
<li>The Overs are 7-3 in Lions games this season, which are averaging 53 points.</li>
<li>Last week was the first week this NFL season the Overs beat the Unders - 8-6. On the season the Unders are 94-68 (58 percent).</li>
</ul>