NFL Betting: No Daunte, No Problem
READ MORE: Brad Johnson, Daunte Culpepper, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, NFL Betting
That’s the sentiment according to Covers, which says that the 1 1/2 points the Vikings are getting as home underdogs this week against Detroit is something to look into—even without quarterback Daunte Culpepper. Covers makes a point that when Culpepper was absent for three games in 2003. Minnesota won and covered all three contests. However, this is a different Vikings team since then, but a home underdog against a (weak) division rival is not the worst thing in the world. Even with Brad Johnson at quarterback.
Culpepper Injury a Positive For Vikings? [Covers]
Detroit at Minnesota [Covers]
Chopping Lines: Crazy Like a Jon Fox
READ MORE: Carolina Panthers, Chopping Lines, Detroit Lions, NFL Betting
Sunday, 1:00 p.m.
Carolina Panthers (3-2)
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Detroit Lions (2-2)
We can’t be on the Lions at all. Regardless of their 35 points scored against the Baltimore Ravens last week , well, we still think this team is just dogshit to bet on. And with Roy Williams questionable this week, the Lions receiving corps is practically emptied of all of that first round talent. Let’s see Mike Williams do something outside of the red zone before he becomes anybody’s number one option. Let’s see Kevin Johnson not keel over. And the Panthers continue to just chug along, under the radar, but we know they can stomp people when they want to. With the pick ‘em in play here, we have to go with the Panthers.
PICK!: CAR +1
Chopping Lines: Motor City Kittie Committee
READ MORE: Chicago Bears, Chopping Lines, Detroit Lions, NFL Betting
Sunday, 1 P.M.
Detroit Lions (1-0)
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Chicago Bears (0-1)
Best Line: Detroit -1, Chicago +2.5, O/U 33
Something’s gnawing at us. For as much as we love pro football, this game is threatening to be far less interesting than watching a real bear and real lion squaring off to the death. Steve Mariucci has one of our favorite Madden teams currently, where we run the 3WR offense with all those top ten picks keeping the defense in the nickel and thinking pass. When we do run Kevin Jones, there’s usually only six in the box, and we’re gashing defenses for big chunks of yards. Last week Green Bay’s defense couldn’t keep their hands off the receivers, getting flagged for every tacky touch, and with bad Packer DBs and Linebackers out there, you’d think the Lions would have spent all day heaving the rock around out of 3WR. Hardly. The Fullback was almost always on the field (the backup crappy one, no less), and they ran quite a bit of 2TE as well. He’s playing conservative, which makes no sense with all that talent. Not the recipe for an offensive explosion.
What’s really offensive though is what happens when the Bears have the ball. Rather, what doesn’t happen. Kyle Orton didn’t look overwhelmed as a first time starter last week against a pretty good defense, and that’s promising. That being said, he didn’t get the team into the end zone, and it’s apparent whatever Thomas Jones had last year for a blink, he lost yet again. If they can get Cedric Benson in the game, they may have a shot. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long day for Chicago. Their defense is too good to let this game get away from them, but Detroit is just good enough to support the points they’re giving.
PICK!: DET -1
Chopping Lines: Restore The Roar, Step One
READ MORE: Chopping Lines, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, NFL Betting
Sunday, 4:00PM EST
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Best Line: GB +3, DET -2.5, O/U 46
Stellar preseason for the Lions. They can’t find their offense (no first string TDs behind Joey Ballgame), their defense gets manhandled by the likes of Mike Martz and the Cleveland Freaking Browns, and they lose the guy who keeps Playmates around as the unlikeliest beards of all time to a broken leg. Feel their roar. At least they’re not as broken down as the Pack are. Two new guards on offense (downgrade), two new linebackers on defense (downgrade), and a bunch of guys in the secondary that are all playing the “no, you check Roy Williams” game with the coaches.
The conventional wisdom puts an up arrow next to Detroit for this season, and a down arrow next to Green Bay. We like conventional wisdowm, and we tend to agree. The conventional wisdom also thinks Green Bay’s going to have to make up for their defensive inadequacies by letting Brett Favre press and push passes into triple coverage. We all know how well that’s going to turn out. The only thing that scares us here is that the Lions are a younger team, and likely not quite as cohesive a unit as the one you’re likely to see - barring injury, no sure bet there - in weeks eight and beyond. Still, we’re seeing an old gunslinger facing his greatest challenge yet, but this time with no posse to back him up. Detroit’s wideouts run like gazelles through the Packer coverage, but Favre still manages to find a way to post a three TD game. Problem is, Detroit will get four. Take the over for sure, and the Lions should cover.
PICK! DET -3, OVER
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Fantasy Football: Mike Harmon’s Awkward Crush on Joey Harrington
READ MORE: Detroit Lions, Fantasy Sports, Joey Harrington, Mike Harmon
We love the palapable amount of sincerity Yahoo Sports’ Mike Harmon pours into his every column; there’s so much earnestness and overall likeability about the guy you just want to pack him in a suitcase and take him everywhere you go. But, today, Harmon seems to be pushing the aw-shucks-I-don’t-know routine a little far when he’s offering up Detroit Lions’ quarterback Joey Harrington as a sleeper pick. We’re all aware that this guy has so many offensive weapons and that with Kevin Jones’ emergence there should be more time in the pocket for Harrington to throw to one of his 15 first-round draft pick wide receivers he’s got out there. But, a sleeper pick? Is round 17 really considered a sleeper pick? The Philadelphia Eagles’ Ryan Moats—that’s a sleeper pick. But Harrington? Come on, Michael. Don’t do us like that.
Harrington on the Hot Seat [Yahoo Fantasy Sports]
Chopping Lines: Yes, There Are Such Things as Black Lions
READ MORE: Chopping Lines, Detroit Lions, NFL Betting, St. Louis Rams
8 p.m.
St. Louis Rams (1-1-0)
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Detroit Lions (0-2-0)
Tonight is the night we’re supposed to see the real Detroit Lions. Tonight’s the night to shed all of those painful memories of Wayne Fontes and Andre Ware. These are the new Lions, the ones with all of that first round talent they have on the offensive side. All of this depends on, of course, quarterback Joey Harrington, who’s looked good in limited snaps so far. Expect the Lions to shine at home in their new snazzy black jerseys and give some of that black jersey swagger. But this begs the question that if Lions wear black do they turn into Panthers?
However, if Lions’ defensive end James Hall and defensive tackle Shaun Rogers are absent this evening, expect Rams running back Steven Jackson to go all Christian Okoye on the Lions D and rack up some huge numbers. The Rams are always a threat with the passing game, but they’re also always at the mercy of Mike Martz’s colossal brain farts. During pre-season he may do even less thinking on the sidelines than normal so we can expect him possibly going for it on 4th and 13 plenty of times and not taking many field goal opportunities. Unless, of course, it’s a 70-yard try and then Jeff Wilkins will punch him in the face.
The Lions haven’t shown anything so far, but if our original black jersey query stands true, we love the Panthers over the Rams. So, take the Lions at home.
Best Line: DETROIT -3.5, STL +4
PICK!: DETROIT -3.5
Chopping Lines: What Can The Browns Do For You?
READ MORE: Chopping Lines, Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions, NFL Betting
Saturday, 1 p.m.
Cleveland Browns (1-0-0)
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Detroit Lions (0-1-0)
Best Line: Cleveland +7, Detroit -6.5
An ominous link forbodes danger to those in the Greater Detroit Metropolitan area: “Preseason games may be subject to blackout; Tickets at Ford Field remain available.” For the Lions versus the Browns? Preseason? Not a sell-out? In the battle for the trophy in the venerable Great Lakes Classic?
Bet you didn’t know there’s actually something besides a sincere lack of pride on the line in Detroit on Saturday, did you? The Lions and Browns agreed to a yearly preseason meeting, and since 2002 the trophy (pictured) has been changing hands. Keeping with the nautical theme the trophy presents, this game has been Titanic versus “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” since the matchup began. And Cleveland still looks washed up on the reef.
Does this mean Detroit is the prohibitive favorite in this spot? BoDog seems to think so, giving Cleveland seven points. But if you’re looking for a shot to make some money on a big road dog in a meaningless game, forget what Cleveland brings to the table, and instead focus on Steve Mariucci’s attitude towards the preseason. Lions beat writer Tom Kowalski writes in a Lions forum:
Excellent points … throughout preseason, you’re only going to see vanilla stuff from the Lions … while some teams show more of their plays (like the Jets), the Lions like to keep almost everything under wraps … you don’t have go far to understand Mooch’s disdain for preseason games … remember, he said if he was trailing by eight and scored a late touchdown, he’d kick the extra point and lose by one … you know what his priorities are.
Give us Cleveland and the points. Hell, we may even take the money line on this one and look for the upset. Nice tone for the regular season you’re setting there Mooch. Hope that works out as well as it has for you the last few years.
PICK!: CLEVELAND +7
Chopping Lines: Run With the Lions Released From Their Cages
READ MORE: Chopping Lines, Detroit Lions, NFL Pre-Season Betting, New York Jets
7 p.m.
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Best Line: Detroit +3,
NYJ -2.5, o/u 37
It’s officially opening weekend of preseason NFL football, and Jets fans have a lot to be excited about. Their top draft pick this year was a kicker, they return a wide receiver that left them for another team a couple years ago, their golden boy QB has a bum shoulder, and Jeremy Shockey kicked their ass in a recent scrimmage skirmish. Okay, so maybe they don’t have a lot to look forward to.
Friday night brings a young and hungry Lions squad to Giants Stadium, eager to put (roughly) eighty-two years of futility behind them. Despite three lackluster years at the helm, we believe the Joey Harrington era starts now. This team is underrated in its potential, having been decimated by injuries in the recent past. For once, all the skill position talent is healthy, which removes both the limitations and the excuses Harrington has faced in his tenure behind center.
Preseason, though, is not about the starters - it’s about the backups. Jeff Garcia steps in after the first quarter, and will probably get a little time with the first team receivers. At bare minimum, he’ll have the very capable Shawn Bryson behind him, and the Kevin Johnson/Mike Williams tandem on the outside. This alone gives us reason to eye the Lions as a good pick, but toss in the Jets’ second string (Bollinger/Blaylock/Cotchery/Chrebet), and we’re thinking a shootout is going to be in order. Since it is the largely unpredictable preseason, you can take this logic straight to your bookie or forget we ever had this conversation. Either way, we’re just tuning up for week one our own damn selves. Game on.
PICK!: Detroit +3, OVER
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