The Detroit Lions finally won a playoff game last weekend, but Dan Campbell’s group won’t be satisfied with just that this season.
The No. 3-seeded Lions are favored by nearly a touchdown in the divisional round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who pulled off a massive upset over the Philadelphia Eagles on Wild Card Weekend.
With the Dallas Cowboys losing to the Green Bay Packers last weekend, it set Detroit up to host another home game in the postseason. That’s a great sign for the Lions, as they are 7-2 at home this season (including playoffs).
One of the hardest things to do in the NFL is predict the final score of a game, but in the betting market, you can win big if you end up getting one right. Using the latest odds for this week’s game, I’m going to take a stab at predicting who will win Sunday’s playoff matchup:
Buccaneers vs. Lions odds, spread and total
Lions final score prediction
Don’t worry Lions fans, I think your team is going to win this game.
However, I think it’s going to be tough for them to cover the spread, which means we could be looking at a rather close contest.
After winning outright as an underdog on Wild Card Weekend, Tampa Bay is now 9-3 against the spread as an underdog this season – the best mark in the NFL.
I am worried about the Lions laying nearly a touchdown against a Bucs team that showed it can dominate a poor pass defense like Philadelphia’s last week. The Lions come into this game ranking No. 30 in the NFL in net yards per pass attempt allowed this season.
Still, the Lions are an elite offense, ranking No. 4 in the NFL in yards per play and No. 5 in points during the regular season.
The Bucs did put up over 30 points against the Eagles, but they limped into the playoffs with a loss to the New Orleans Saints and a sluggish offensive showing against the Carolina Panthers.
Detroit’s offense is the best unit in this game, and I think it ultimately pulls off a close win at home.
Final score prediction: Lions 27, Buccaneers 24
All you need to do is sign up for the DraftKings Sportsbook with the link below, deposit and wager $5 on any game – including this one – to receive $200 in bonus bets. That’s a pretty sweet deal to bet on a final score prediction!
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
Find Peter Dewey's betting record here.