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Detroit Lions at Washington Odds & Game Pick

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We don’t need to sugarcoat it, both of these teams have really struggled lately. Washington is trying to break in rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins, which has resulted in back-to-back losses. In case you didn’t realize it, Washington has only won a single game this season. That came in a 17-16 victory at Miami, where the Dolphins failed a two-point conversion to essentially win the game. The good news comes from Haskins looking better while tossing a pair of touchdown passes against the Jets last week. Washington fans (and bettors) can only hope he continues to grow on a weekly basis. 

The Lions have dropped three straight games, and now they’re without starting quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was the lone bright spot in Detroit’s season up until a back injury forced him to the sidelines. Stafford is unlikely to play in Week 12’s date at Washington, so Jeff Driskel will remain the signal-caller for the Lions. Driskel looked better against the Cowboys last week, holding a 109 passer rating while throwing for 209 yards and a pair of scores. The Lions may have found a semblance of a rushing attack in that game also, given that running back Bo Scarbrough and Driskel combined for 106 rushing yards and a pair of scores. 

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Details

  • Opening Lines: The spread has held after opening with Lions -3.5. The over/under has remained at 42.5
  • Current Line: Lions -3.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook
  • O/U: 42.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook
  • Location: FedEx Field – Landover, MD
  • Start Time: 1:00pm ET
  • Television: FOX
  • Last Meeting: October 23, 2016 – Lions defeated Washington 20-17 in Detroit 

View consensus picks from 100+ experts for the Lions at Washington >>

Overview

The Lions have allowed 7.6 yards per pass attempt this season, which is tied for 28th in the league. Quarterbacks like Daniel Jones, Derek Carr, and Dak Prescott were able to get the best of them in recent weeks. Some of that has to do with the Lions failing to get pressure on opposing signal-callers. Because of that, we could see a real step forward for Washington’s rookie quarterback, Haskins. Of course, that’s assuming he’s ready to jump on his best matchup as a starter … The same can be said for the inexperienced-likes of quarterback Jeff Driskel, who showed maturity while almost knocking off the Cowboys last weekend. His rushing ability serves as an added asset for the Lions to extend drives. 

Trends

  • The Lions are 0-4 ATS in their last four against the NFC. 
  • The Lions are 10-4-1 ATS in their last 15 against a team with a losing record.
  • Washington is 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games.
  • The over is 4-1 in the Lions’ last five games.
  • The under is 6-1 in Washington’s last seven games. 

Prop Bets

Terry McLaurin UNDER 64 Receiving Yards
We’ll probably see Darius Slay shadow Terry McLaurin on Sunday, and that’s not good for the rookie wide receiver’s prospects. McLaurin was already struggling while averaging just 40 yards per contest over the last four and having the Lions’ best defender chase him around the field probably won’t help. Remember, Slay held Amari Cooper to three receptions for 38 yards last week, and I believe he can limit McLaurin as well. 

Bottom Line

76% of BettingPros’ experts are taking the Lions -3.5, and I believe that’s the correct side. Dwayne Haskins may be improving, but it could be difficult for him to take another step forward with his best receiver drawing shadow coverage. Meanwhile, quarterback Jeff Driskel is brimming with confidence and numerous playmakers to cover and win this road contest. 

Pick: Lions -3.5 at FanDuel Sportsbook

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Check out our other NFL Sports Betting Guides for Week 12

Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals (+6.5)
Denver Broncos at Buffalo Bills (-3.5)
Oakland Raiders at New York Jets (+3)
Miami Dolphins at Cleveland Browns (-10.5)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons (-3.5)
New York Giants at Chicago Bears (-6)
Seattle Seahawks at Philadelphia Eagles (-1)
Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints (-10)
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans (-3.5)
Dallas Cowboys at New England Patriots (-6)
Green Bay Packers at San Francisco 49ers (-3)
Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Rams (+3.5)

Spencer Limbach is a featured writer at BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Spencer, check out his archive and follow him @spencer_jl.