This article is part of our NFL Picks series.
Week 1 Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions, Betting Odds, Picks, and Predictions
The 2024 season kicked off with an AFC Championship Game rematch between the Ravens and Chiefs on Thursday night. The January playoff-redux theme persists for another season-opening primetime matchup in Sunday Night Football matchup between the Rams and Lions.
Detroit squeaked by Los Angeles 24-23 a 2023 NFC Wild Card Game that absolutely lived up to the hype of each team's one-time QB facing off. The main protagonists on either side remain the same for this season-opening battle, and plenty of offense is once again expected.
Without further ado, let's examine top bets and a game prediction for Sunday night's Rams-Lions showdown.
The NFL is back! Take advantage of great sportsbook promos to choose from. Use this BetMGM bonus code for first-bet bonus bet offers of up to $1500 in bonus bets
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions Betting Odds for Week 1
*Best lines at time of writing listed
Moneyline: Rams +185 (BetMGM Sportsbook)/ Lions -205 (DraftKings)
Point spread: Rams +4.5 (Caesars)/ Lions -4.5 (Caesars)
Totals: Under 52.5 points (BetMGM)/ Over 52.5 points (Caesars)
The spread for this game has seen some recent movement in favor of Detroit, with the Lions a 3.5-point favorite less than two weeks ago. The number bounced between that figure and 4.0 over the next several days, and it just inched up further to 4.5 between Thursday and Friday.
The total, which was elevated from the start, has also seen a recent upward trajectory. The number checked in at 51 in late August, but has subsequently risen to 52.5 at multiple sportsbooks as of Saturday. The confirmed health of Lions star running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who dealt with a hamstring injury this summer, certainly has not hurt the prospect of a high-scoring game.
NFL season has kicked off! Its a great time to sign up at the best online sportsbooks. Use this Caesars Sportsbook promo code for a first bet up to $1000.
Los Angeles Rams @ Detroit Lions Betting Picks This Week
The Rams come into this Week 1 matchup relying on the same core pieces that helped them to a playoff appearance last season. Matthew Stafford, Kyren Williams, Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are all locked and loaded, with the only notable absence that of veteran tight end Tyler Higbee (knee), who opens the season on the PUP list.
However, the Rams face a notable subtraction on defense, where surefire future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald retiremed following the aforementioned wild-card loss to the Lions. Los Angeles does have some talented younger pieces in the front seven in Braden Fiske, Kobie Turner and rookie Jared Verse, but needless to say, there is no true replacement for a generational talent like Donald.
His absence may loom largest this season against an opponent like the Lions. The Rams face a team highly capable of attacking in balanced fashion, featuring a classic pocket passing quarterback that thrives with a clean area around him that lets him set up and seek out his weapons. Goff scored a nice extension this offseason due to both his stellar performance in the Motor City the last two seasons and what team management clearly feels he is capable of providing for the foreseeable future.
The optimism is well-founded when considering the likes of Gibbs, David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta head up his skill-position weapons, while the speedy, promising Jameson Williams serves as a complementary weapon. The pass catchers of that group draw a particularly appealing season-opening matchup, as the Rams' revamped secondary deals with some injuries and will look to the likes of the inconsistent Kamren Curl and a presumably rusty Tre'Davious White (only 10 games played in last two seasons) to help shore up the back end.
The Rams' ability to slow down Montgomery and Gibbs on the ground remains suspect considering Donald's aforementioned absence, and a Lions' offensive line that helped facilitate 138.5 rushing yards per game at home last season. The unit remains largely intact, and its one new member is 2012 first-round pick Kevin Zeitler, who still plays at an above-average level at age 34.
On the other side, Stafford, not the most mobile at this stage of his career, will likely manage an unbalanced attack tonight. The Lions limited opponents to the second-fewest rushing yards per game last regular season (88.8). Granted, attacking the Lions through the air was inviting under any circumstance, but the Super Bowl-minded franchise addressed that area this offseason with the signing of veteran corner Carlton Davis and drafting of Alabama standout Terrion Arnold.
Ultimately, I see the Lions attacking the Rams at will here, and forcing Stafford into increasingly "sitting duck" mode as he tries to keep up through the air. However, unlike in January when he was able to compile 367 yards and two touchdowns, Stafford should be under much more duress against a defensive line that added DJ Reader and Marcus Davenport this offseason and now features a much stickier cornerback tandem.
Team vs./@ Opponent Best Bets:
Lions -4.5 (-106 on FanDuel)
Same-Game Parlay: Lions moneyline and Jared Goff 250+ passing yards (+116 on FanDuel )
No better time than now to take advantage of excellent NFL betting promos like this FanDuel promo code, good for $200 in bonus bets
Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions Prediction
Lions 28, Rams 21
Same venue, same end result in this latest installment of the Stafford-Goff rivalry. I see both clubs once again hitting on some big plays, but the Lions enter as the clearly more complete team. Despite the many big names on Detroit's offense, I actually envision their still-underrated defense serving as the tipping point in a win by a touchdown. The Lions roll out an improved secondary that will make life difficult on the mostly immobile Stafford, and they should stymie the ground attack for the most part as well.
