Commanders vs. Lions Odds, Tips & Predictions – NFL Week 2

Washington picked up an opening week win and visits the Motor City in week 2. Our best bet, however, will be on a Detroit wide receiver who continues to fly under the radar across the league. Read more in our Commanders vs Lions betting tips.

The Detroit Lions welcome the Washington Commanders to Ford Field on Sunday afternoon.

The Lions lost their home opener last week but kept things tight and the Week 2 odds started with them as the 2.5 point home favorites for this competition. That line has since narrowed to -1.5, but still shows a 24-game streak in which Detroit was an underdog.

Here are my top free NFL tips and predictions for Commanders vs. Lions on September 17th.

Commanders vs Lions best odds

Commanders vs. Lions tips and predictions

If you haven’t been paying attention to Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, now is the time to start. St. Brown was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft but progressed to become Detroit’s No. 1 target toward the end of his rookie year.

The secure sophomore is a game away from tying the NFL record for most consecutive games with at least eight receptions. Not only has he caught at least eight catches in seven straight games, but he’s also managed 11.3 goals per game over that span, which is a good indication he’ll continue to be a major threat.

It’s not like he needs to open deep either, as he runs mostly from the slot, and noodle-armed Jared Goff loves to throw shorter passes. Get the Over 6.5 on St. Brown’s receptions overall available for plus money.

I also play the Over 48 in this competition as the strengths of the two improved attacks match the weaknesses of these underperforming stopping units. Both defenses are extremely vulnerable in the second level, where they have way too many covers and missed tackles.

That’s a matchup advantage for an offensive Washington team that likes to throw Antonio Gibson and JD McKissic out of the backfield and also fed the ball to Curtis Samuel in the slot in Week 1. Ditto for the Lions, who love using D’ Andre Swift as an outlet and have seen St. Brown become Goff’s favorite target.

My best bets: Amon-Ra St. Brown Over 6.5 receptions (+125 at DraftKings) / Over 48 (-110 at bet365)

Commanders vs Lions betting preview

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•Spread Analysis •Over/Under Analysis •game info •injuries •weather •trends to know

Spread Analysis

The Lions lost to the Eagles 38-35 in Week 1 while the Commanders beat the Jaguars 28-22 and both teams showed they will once again battle on the defensive side of the ball. The Lions gave up 455 yards to the Eagles and the Commanders gave up 383 yards to a young Jaguars attack with many new faces.

These were two of the worst defenses in the NFL over the last year, with Washington finishing 29th in the league in EPA/Play and the Lions even worse at 30th.

The Commanders have done nothing to improve on this side of the ball in the offseason and edge rusher Chase Young is out again with injury. Though the Lions drafted Aidan Hutchinson for defensive end with the second pick in the April draft, he won’t be able to turn over a unit that needs massive inside, linebacker, and corner help.

Both offenses should improve, however, and showed promise last week when Carson Wentz threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns on his Commanders debut while the Lions rumbled 181 yards on the ground.

It’s easy to see why this line is so tight, as these teams are pretty similar across the board. The Commanders have a more explosive threat in Terry McLaurin, but the Lions have a more dynamic back in Swift. While the Commanders have a better inside line of defense than Detroit, that advantage is offset by the Lions’ strong offensive line.

Over/Under Analysis

The Lions had one of the most boring checkdown offenses in the league early last season, but towards the end of the year they found themselves in a groove and started moving the ball.

After last week’s shootout against the Eagles, the overs are 5-2 O/U in the Lions’ last seven games, and they have at least 29 points in five of those contests.

The Commanders had a pathetic offense last season, but Wentz is an upgrade at quarterback. If he links up with speedsters like McLaurin, Samuel and rookie Jahan Dotson, the Commanders offense should be able to attack vertically.

That’s bad news for a Lions defense that is overly vulnerable and ranked 30th in the league in dropback EPA last season. Washington’s secondary wasn’t much better, ranking 28th in both dropback EPA and yards per pass attempt (7.3).

Information about the game Commanders vs. Lions

• location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
• date: Sunday 18 September 2022
• kicking off: 1:00 p.m. ET
• TV: FOX

Commanders vs. Lions – Key Injuries

Commanders vs Lions weather

Monitor game conditions with our live NFL weather information and learn how weather affects NFL betting.

Commanders vs. Lions betting trend to get to know

The Lions have been 17-7 in their last 24 home games. Find more NFL betting trends for Commanders vs Lions.

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