Sipping the morning coffee, I thought maybe my wife spiked my mug with some Honolulu blue Kool-Aid. But no, it was not a blurry-eyed delusion or a misprint.
The Detroit Lions are favored in Week 2. Dan Campbell’s 0-1 Lions are favored by 2.5 points at Tipico Sportsbook against the visiting Washington Commanders in Sunday’s matchup at Ford Field despite Washington bringing in a 1-0 record.
It’s been a long time since these Lions were favored to win. More than a full season.
The last time the Lions were favored was Week 11 of the 2020 season against the Carolina Panthers. Those Lions entered that game with a 4-5 record after beating Washington the week earlier, another game where Detroit was favored — by the same 2.5-point line, no less.
The coffee got a little bitter when I went back to look at that game against the Panthers. Carolina blanked Matt Patricia’s Lions 20-0 behind backup QB P.J. Walker in what was one of Matthew Stafford’s least productive performances as the Lions quarterback, with zero run game (17 carries, 40 yards) to help him.
Going back a bit further, the Lions have not been favored in a game where the opponent has a winning record since Week 7 of the 2018 season against the Miami Dolphins. Detroit won that game, 32-21 in Miami.
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