by Rod Pearson
Wednesday, Dec 11, 2024
Game Time: 4:25 pm ET, Sunday, December 15, 2024
Venue: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Where to Watch: CBS
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Bills +2.5, Lions -2.5; Over/Under: 54.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Bills +2.5, Lions -2.5; Over/Under: 54.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Bills +2.5, Lions -2.5; Over/Under: 54.5 points
Season Record
Buffalo Bills: 10-3 (1st place, AFC East)
Detroit Lions: 12-1 (1st place, NFC North)
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Recent Form
Buffalo Bills: lost their last game on the road against the Los Angeles Rams 44-42.
Detroit Lions: won their last game at home against the Green Bay Packers 34-31.
Buffalo Bills vs Detroit Lions Preview and Analysis
The Bills are entering this game with a 10-3 record overall and they have a 3-0 record in their divisional games too. They are 6-0 in their home games, 4-3 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They lost their last game against the Los Angeles Rams 44-42. Josh Allen was the starting QB and he completed 22/37 passes for 342 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Josh Allen led the team in rushing yards with 82 and 3 TDs. Khalil Shakir led the receivers with 106 receiving yards on 5 receptions and 1 TD. Taylor Rapp led the defense in that game with 8 solo tackles and 5 assisted tackles while no one on the defense recorded a sack for them. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
The Lions are entering this game with a 12-1 record overall and they have a 4-0 record in their divisional games too. They are 6-1 in their home games, 6-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They won their last game against the Green Bay Packers 34-31. Jared Goff was the starting QB and he completed 32/41 passes for 283 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. David Montgomery led the team in rushing yards with 51 and 1 TD. Jameson Williams led the receivers with 80 receiving yards on 5 receptions. Jack Campbell led the defense in that game with 3 solo tackles and 5 assisted tackles while Za'Darius Smith led the defense in sacks with 1. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
Bills vs Lions Prediction
The current betting odds have the Lions listed as a 2.5 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Lions have looked great in their games this season with their 12-1 record overall which leads the NFC North with the best record in the entire NFL. They are coming off a big divisional win over the Packers in their last one and that game was on Thursday so they have had some extra time to prepare for this one. Meanwhile, the Bills have looked great in their games this season with their 10-3 record overall which has them leading the AFC East with one of the best records in the entire NFL. They have already locked up their division and are fighting for seeding in the playoffs now. They are coming off a 44-42 loss to the Rams in their last one and that was a game they could never really catch up in. Their defense looked terrible, giving up 44 points in a game they just couldn't get a stop in, and now they are going to be on the road again facing a strong offense. All 3 of the losses for the Bills this season have been in road games too and this is a tough situation for them coming back from the West coast while the Lions have extra rest. The Bills have looked great in their games, but the Lions look like the best team in the NFL at the moment and the home advantage is going to help them get over the finish line in this one. The best way to place a bet here is on the Lions to cover the spread in this game.
Bills Lions Prediction: Our NFL Pick for Sunday, December 15, 2024 (4:25 pm ET start time) is Lions 35 Bills 31.
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NFL Betting Trends
Buffalo Bills: 0-7 1H ATS in a road game where the total is greater than or equal to 49.5. 2-7 1H ATS versus good rushing teams - averaging 130 rushing yards/game or more. 29-19 1H OVER in all games. 15-7 1H OVER after playing their last game on the road. 4-0 1H OVER off an upset loss as a road favorite.
Detroit Lions: 35-15 ATS in all games. 14-5 ATS in games where the line is +3 to -3. 18-5 ATS after scoring 30 points or more last game. 8-0 ATS after a 2 game home stand. 17-9 OVER in home games. 9-5 OVER as a home favorite of 7 points or less. 10-3 OVER after a win by 6 or less points.
Key Injuries
Buffalo Bills: M. Milano (LB) Injured - Biceps. C. Samuel (WR) Injured - Foot. A. Cooper (WR) Injured - Wrist. Q. Morris (TE) Injured - Shoulder. R. Gilliam (FB) Injured - Hip. C. Toohill (DE) Injured - Knee. T. Rapp (SAF) Injured - Neck. D. Kincaid (TE) Questionable - Knee. S. Brown (T) Injured - Ankle. K. Coleman (WR) Questionable - Wrist. D. Carter (DT) Questionable - Wrist. T. Grable (OT) Questionable - Groin.
Detroit Lions: E. Moseley (CB) Injured - Hamstring. J. Paschal (DL) Out - Knee. L. Onwuzurike (DL) Out - Hamstring. T. Decker (T) Out - Knee. D. Reader (DL) Out - Shoulder. C. Davis (CB) Injured - Knee.
Notable Quotes
“They did a great job controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Defensively and special teams, neither were good enough to help us win this game.” - Sean McDermott after his team’s loss against the LA Rams in their last game.
“That was how I wanted to play that team with where we are at.” - Dan Campbell after his team’s win against the Packers in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Buffalo Bills
WR Coleman, Keon
WR Cooper, Amari
WR Shakir, Khalil
TE Knox, Dawson
QB Allen, Josh
RB Cook, James
FB Gilliam, Reggie
Detroit Lions
WR Patrick, Tim
WR Williams, Jameson
WR St. Brown, Amon-Ra
TE LaPorta, Sam
QB Goff, Jared
RB Gibbs, Jahmyr
Statistical Leaders
Buffalo Bills
Passing: J. Allen (3033)
Rushing: J. Cook (723)
Receiving: K. Shakir (735)
Touchdowns: J. Cook (12)
Detroit Lions
Passing: J. Goff (3265)
Rushing: J. Gibbs (1016)
Receiving: A. St. Brown (863)
Touchdowns: D. Montgomery (12)
Coaches:
Buffalo Bills: Sean McDermott (8th season)
Detroit Lions: Dan Campbell (4th season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
