The Detroit Lions play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in NFL Football action on Sunday. The game is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start time and it will be televised live on FOX. Currently the odds for the game have the Lions favored to pick up the win.
Detroit needs to find a way to get up for this game. The Buccaneers aren't a good football team, are in the depths of the NFC South (which isn't saying much) and Tampa Bay has only two wins on the season. Both of those wins, however, have come on the road. Detroit is favored and should be at home, where they are a better football team.
The day after the annual Thanksgiving game has not been kind to the Lions, however. Detroit has won just twice in the last 18 years in the week following the Turkey Day contest and they're even the last nine years overall, losing all nine of those games.
Tampa Bay's defense is playing better the last few weeks, giving up just 18.3 points per game since the bye back in Week 7. The Bucs have also picked up a win recently against Detroit, knocking off the Lions last year when they were a dog in Motown. Matt Stafford threw four interceptions in that one, but that shouldn't happen again this week.
The Lions can beat up on teams they are better than, winning six of their last seven against teams with a losing record. Tampa Bay can't run the football (29th at 83 yards per game) and that really should be a problem against the Lions, who are the best team in football against the run, allowing just 66 yards per game to their opponents.
Stafford will find Johnson and Golden Tate, the Lions will play well on defense and Detroit will pick up a comfortable win in this one.
Free Pick: Detroit 31, Tampa Bay 13
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