Detroit Lions (1-1 SU, 1-1 ATS) vs. Washington Redskins (0-2 SU, 0-2 ATS)
NFL Week 3
Date and Time: Sunday, September 22nd, 2014, 1:00 pm EST
Where: FedEx Field, Landover, Md.
TV: FOX/DirecTV 712
by Badger, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: Det. +1.5/Wash. -1.5
Over/Under Total: 49
It seems like everyone and their brother has an opinion about what is wrong
with Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins, so
it will be interesting to watch how RG3 and the Redskins respond in a must-win
situation this Sunday when they host the Detroit Lions at FedEx Field on
Fox.
Washington dropped into an 0-2 hole to start the season with another slow start in last Sundays, 38-20, loss at Green Bay, and now the airwaves are full of talk of the Redskins demise. But with a winnable game at home on Sunday with the Lions, followed with a West Coast trip to Oakland, it wont be easy for the Redskins to rebound, but .500 is a good possibility starting with a step-up performance by everyone on Sunday.
The Lions are like half the league, 1-1 with mixed results in the two weeks of play including a disappointing loss on the road at Arizona last weekend, 25-21. After looking so dangerous in the opener against Minnesota, Detroit proved that maybe they arent ready to win on the road in the NFL yet and take the next step required for a title run. But maybe getting another chance at redemption on the road right away this week is just what the Lions need, and kicking the Redskins while theyre down is actually what Ndamukong Suh might do.
Oddsmakers threw out a bone to bettors by setting the opening point spread with Washington as the standard 3-point NFL favorite at home, letting the early steam set the number for later in the week. With the early money at the start mostly on underdog Detroit, the number has come down to Redskins minus -2 or -1.5 at most sportsbooks.
The over/under total opened at 48.5 and has been on a rising pattern ever since, moving up to 49 at about every sportsbook that hasnt moved it higher to 49.5.
Last weekend the Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson connection was clicking against the Cardinals, but you can bet that if the Lions dont start establishing a running game it will come back to haunt them. With only 80 yards a game (22nd in NFL) on the ground so far, the Lions are relying on Stafford way too much in the early going of 2013. The good news is Stafford will be going against a Redskins defense thats wondering what hit them after getting torched by the Eagles and Packers in back-to-back weeks, a prime spot if there ever was one for the Lions.
Any stats that I can spew for RG3 and the Redskins would be worthless, because in both games this year the Skins were down by four scores so fast that most of the numbers for the offense have come in mop-up time late in the second half. With the rust on Griffin clear and present, it will be interesting to see if the Lions get up on them fast this week if coach Mike Shannahan stays with the rookie of the year like the captain on a sinking ship, or if he makes the move to Kirk Cousins to try and create a spark.
The Redskins traveled to Detroit the last time these two met, in 2010 in a shootout the Lions eventually won, 37-25. In fact, six of the last eight meetings between these two franchises (since 1999) have been played in Detroit. Thats good news for Detroit because they havent won in D.C. in decades, with the Redskins winning the last four in Washington going 4-0 SU and 4-0 ATS in those games.
It really has been a home team series too, since the home team is 8-2 ATS going back 10 games to the 1995 season.
The under is a solid betting trend play, with it going 6-1-2 in the last nine head-to-head meetings, as well as going 5-2 in the Redskins last seven home games.
Badger’s Pick to Cover the Point Spread: I’m not a huge fan of the Detroit Lions right now but this is a real bad matchup for Washington. Stafford is going to have a field day against the Redskins secondary. I’m betting the Lions plus the point.