Perhaps the Lions just are unlucky when it comes to scheduling. First, they complete their regular season against their division rival Packers, who additionally possess the league’s greatest record. Then they follow that up by pulling the New orleans saints in the 1st round of the playoffs.

College football betting

The Jan 7 – Lions vs Saints game will be the 2nd meeting of the two teams this year. New Orleans won the 1st game in New Orleans 31-17. This is maybe part of the reason New Orleans is a 10.5 point favorite to defeat Detroit this week.

NFL betting

The other is that New Orleans is on a roll. They have won eight competitions in a row coming into this week’s competition with Detroit, beating 3 other playoff teams in the course of that stretch. Detroit managed to pull things together after defensive superstar Ndamukong Suh was suspended for two competitions after kicking an opposing competitor with his cleats. Simply losing a tight game to 15-1 Green Bay, they won 3 from their last 4 competitions of the year. When they last confronted New Orleans, they were devoid of Suh, and Detroit is hoping the return of his presence to the defensive line could be the difference they have to stop Drew Brees and the strong New Orleans offense.

Unfortunately for Detroit, that Saints offense has been amazing for the 2nd half of the year. They have gone over 40 in four of their last 6 and landed more than 40 points in their last 3 competitions. Earlier this year in New Orleans they dropped 62 points on Indianapolis, and they are 8-0 in their home stadium this year.

Detroit has struggled this year against higher quality competition, going 1-5 against playoff teams (just beating Denver). Their offense has the potential to be high-flying, and therefore it’ll be up to their defense to keep them in this game. If Suh will probably make up for his two-game suspension, the time has come.