The Denver Broncos (6-6) will host the Detroit Lions (1-10-1) at Mile High Stadium at Empower Field for a week 14 matchup. The Lions are no longer winless as they picked up a huge victory over the Minnesota Vikings 29-27, while the Broncos fell to the Chiefs in primetime 22-9 on the road.
The Detroit Lions will be playing for pride as they were mathematically eliminated a week ago, however, that didn’t stop them from coming from behind to steal a game from the Vikings. Additionally, the Broncos are very much alive in a tight AFC conference, so they will have plenty on the line in this game. That being said, let’s check out how each of these two teams stack up so you can get all set to bet against their NFL odds.
NFL Betting Preview for Detroit Lions at Denver
Detroit Lions Betting Preview: Lions Grab Their First Win, Look For More vs Denver
The Lions broke an 11 game streak without a win by pulling off an epic comeback that saw Jared Goff drive all the way down the field 75 yards, that resulted in a walk off touchdown pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The winless nightmare is finally over for Detroit with the offense breaking a streak that saw them score less than 19 points or less in ten straight games. Jared Goff had his best game as a Lion, throwing for almost 300 yards and three passing touchdowns, while leading Detroit to their first victory. Overall, this is still one of the worst units in the league averaging 310.9 yards and an embarrassing 16.9 points per game.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions played phenomenal against the Vikings holding their high powered offense to just six points in the first half, with linebacker Charles Harris having a huge day, forcing a fumble and picking up two sacks. Ultimately, the Lions defense has struggled in 2021, conceding a whopping 380.9 yards to opponents and 26.3 points per contest.
Denver Broncos Betting Preview: Broncos Inconsistency Continues
The Broncos on the other hand, are one of the more inconsistent teams in the NFL. Denver flashes the sign of an elite team with dominant wins over the Cowboys and the Chargers, but have been blown out by the Eagles and the Raiders.
Similarly, NFL viewers were scratching their heads Sunday night when the Broncos completely dominated the Chiefs on offense, but ended up with just nine points. Denver was able to outdo Kansas City in virtually every offensive category including picking up 137 more yards, but came away with 13 less points. Turnovers played a huge role in the game, but one bright spot was Javonte Williams who grabbed 178 total yards in his first start at running back.
Defensively, even without all-pro linebacker Von Miller, the Broncos have been elite, especially against the pass allowing just 220.3 yards to opposing quarterbacks per game. Denver was able to frustrate Patrick Mahomes, holding him to 184 yards through the air and one interception. Moreover, the defense is keeping this team in games and has held opponents to 18.2 points per contest this year.
Betting Odds and Lines
Early betting odds on MyBookie have the Broncos at -10 as the home favorite, while the point total is at 42.
- Moneyline: Lions +360 | Broncos -480
Free Betting Pick
The Broncos looked decent moving the ball against Kansas City, but the offense is a turnover machine. Denver owns five turnovers in their last three games, while the offense has mustered 16.7 points over that same period.
The Lions have been very good ATS this year coming into this matchup with an 8-4 mark. That isn’t to say that this team is playing great football, but the Lions did get a taste of their first victory and now they know what it takes to play winning football. Additionally, the Lions are 3-1 ATS in non-conference games and 4-2 as an away team. 10 points is too many, take the Lions.
NFL Free Betting Pick: Lions +10