Falcons vs Lions NFL Week 16 Wagering Odds and Game Forecast
Week 16 of the 2012 National Football League kicks off with a Saturday prime time special as the Atlanta Falcons fly into Michigan to battle the Detroit Lions. Atlanta is looking to win the NFC regular season Championship while Detroit playing out the string on a disappointing season. Kickoff is slated for 8:30 PM ET on December 22, 2012, from Ford Field in Detroit, MI.
Atlanta Falcons: Fighting for top NFC playoff spot
A week after being embarrassed 30-20 by the lowly Carolina Panthers, the Falcons took out their frustrations on the defending Super Bowl Champs as they crushed the New York Giants 34-0 in Week 15 NFL action. Atlanta still has unfinished business as they need one more win to ensure home field advantage throughout the 2013 NFC playoffs. Despite the fact that they both play in the NFC, this is just the fourth time Atlanta will face Detroit since the 2008 season. The Falcons won the last meeting 23-16 as -4.5 road underdogs during Week 7 action in 2011.
Detroit Lions: Limping towards the end of a losing season in the Motor City
After they made it to the postseason party last season, bigger things were expected out of the Detroit Lions this year. Those expectations have fallen way short as the Motor City Kittens have lost six straight games and their 2012 win total sits at four – down from ten in 2011. From a glass half full perspective, the Lions will get a top five pick in the 2013 NFL Draft in April. Things have gotten so bad in Detroit that they are signing guys off the street to field 11 players on defense. DT Nick Fairly and DB Jacob Lacey are the latest players to go on IR in MoTown.
Advantage Sports Betting Atlanta vs Detroit Betting Lines and Game Day Call
Bet365.com, and their world class online sportbook, is our betting lines supplier for the Lions vs Falcons contest. We were somewhat surprised that the Falcons are just -3.5 point road favorites and slim chalk at -200 on the money line. Detroit fans can get the Lions at +170 straight up and the Over/Under is set at 50.5 total points. Along with injuries on defense, the Lions are also down to fourth string players at the wide receiver position.
Detroit goes from being -5.5 road chalk to home dogs after they were blitzed 38-10 by the lowly Arizona Cardinals last weekend. This point spread is either an early Christmas gift from the Bet365 bookmakers or a cruel trap. If Atlanta wasn’t trying to lock down the #1 seed in the NFC we would be leery of the Falcons in this spot. Since they are in fact playing for something, we’ll back the Black Birds at -3.5 (-110) with a 10% wager at Bet365 – Merry Christmas Everybody!
