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Week 16 of the NFL season is fast approaching. The Detroit Lions will hit the road and take on the Atlanta Falcons. It's time to continue our NFL odds series and make a Lions-Falcons prediction and pick.
Both of these teams have been having disappointing seasons. The Detroit Lions are an abysmal 2-11-1, but are coming off one of the most impressive wins of the NFL season. While the Atlanta Falcons are only 6-8 and are coming off a disappointing loss. This should be an interesting match.
For more insight on the Lions-Falcons matchup in Week 16, listen below:
Here are the odds for the Lions-Falcons Week 16 matchup, courtesy of FanDuel.
NFL Odds: Lions-Falcons Odds:
Detroit Lions: +6 (-115)
Atlanta Falcons: -6 (-105)
Over 42.5 (-115)
Under 42.5 (-105)
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Why The Lions Could Win
The Detroit Lions have been the worst team in the NFL this season. Through their first 14 games they only have 2 wins. One of those wins, however, came last week against the Arizona Cardinals. The Lions pulled off a huge upset against one of the best teams ins the NFL, taking down the Cardinals by 18. The Lions will look to carry that same energy and momentum into their Week 16 match up against the Falcons. Atlanta hasn’t been anything special this season, so this is a winnable game for the nearly winless Lions. If Detroit can come out looking like they did last week then they could win again in Week 16.
Leading the way for this Lions team is quarterback Jared Goff. The Lions traded for Goff in the off-season, and while they may have lost that trade Goff has started showing some positive signs. In their win over Arizona, Goff completed 21 of 26 pass attempts for 216 yards and 3 touchdowns. Goff’s efficiency and consistency played a huge role in the Lion’s success last week. For a team that has been struggling all season, having a quarterback lead the team to a win was a welcome sight. On the season Goff has thrown for over 3,000 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. While these number are nothing special, Goff has been consistent and has shown that he has the ability to help his team win. If he can have another big game this week, then this Lions team might just extend their win streak to two.
On the other side of the ball, the Lions defense ranks 29th in the league in total yards allowed. A big reason Detroit has struggled this season is because of their defense. They rank 28th in the league in rushing yards allowed, allowing 133 yards to opposing backfields per game. If Detroit can limit the Atlanta run game then everything else could fall in place for the Lions. On the flip side, if they allow Atlanta to run all over them then they don’t stand a chance. This game comes down to the battle of the linemen. If Detroit improves that aspect of their game then they could make this a competitive match. They showed last week that they have big upset potential and will look to carry momentum from last week into this match.
Why The Falcons Could Win
The Atlanta Falcons have also had a rather underwhelming year. They are caught in a weird spot where they don’t really know if they want to win games or tank for a better pick. Through 14 regular season games they have a losing record with only 6 wins and 8 losses. They really haven’t been a competitive team and are coming off an 18 point loss to the San Francisco 49ers. With that said, the Falcons are facing the worst team in the NFL and should be able to win this week. The Lions are coming off an impressive win and Atlanta will look to put the Lions in their place. While the Falcons may not be great, they are definitely a better team than Detroit. Expect the Falcons to come out and try to show the league that last week was truly a fluke from the Lions.
The leader and quarterback of this Falcons team is Matt Ryan. Matt Ryan had a disappointing performance against the Niners, only completing 19 of 32 pass attempts for 236 yards and a touchdown. While Matt Ryan may not be an elite quarterback anymore he is still consistent. On the season he has thrown for over 3,300 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Ryan has kept his team in games and has been a big reason that this team is close to having a winning record. However, it has been 7 weeks since Ryan has thrown for 2 touchdowns in a game. If the Falcons want to cover and put up numbers they will need Ryan to find the end zone more. Matt Ryan started off the season strong but has since slowed down. If he can turn back the clock this week then the Falcons could dominate Detroit.
On the other side of the ball, Atlanta’s defense ranks 26th in the league in total yards allowed. They have allowed over 120 rushing yards and nearly 250 passing yards to opposing offenses. While these numbers are sub par, Atlanta’s defense ranks higher than Detroits in both passing and rushing. The Falcons need to show up on Sunday without underestimating their opponents. If the Falcons can come into Sunday ready then they should be able to take care of business. The Lions really are the worst team in the league, and while they beat a great team last week, one win does not redeem a horrible season. The Falcons are more than capable of winning this game, and doing so by a large margin.
Final Lions-Falcons Prediction & Pick
This is an interesting one. If the Lions hadn't won last week then this would be a no brainer Falcons pick, but Detroit showed real heart in their win over Arizona. With that said, when looking at the season and teams as a whole Atlanta has the edge. Pick the Falcons to win and cover.
FINAL LIONS-FALCONS PICK: Atlanta Falcons -6 (-105)
