Week 1 NFL Odds: Ram On

Week 1 NFL odds have the Detroit Lions as -3.5 favorites ahead of the season’s first Sunday Night Football game versus the Los Angeles Rams.

It’s a rematch of the Wildcard Round, where the Lions won a squeaker. Many folks, including me, expect the 2024 Detroit Lions to roar through the season.

Yet, I think Week 1 will be a low-pitched growl.

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Los Angeles Rams +3.5 (FanDuel)

Detroit and L.A. dueled to a 24-23 final score in January, and the game was as evenly played as an NFL game can be.

The Rams and Matt Stafford racked up 357 passing yards to Detroit’s 255, but only because the Lions took a 14-3 lead in the first quarter. Both teams went 3/9 on third downs, 1/1 on fourth downs, and each offense ran 55 plays.

The difference was the Lions’ red zone defense that held the Rams to a goose egg on three trips inside the 20. I don’t expect that to happen again.

The Rams offense is healthy coming into Week 1, and they have all the weapons.

RB Kyren Williams averaged 95.3 rushing yards per game in 2023. The Rams bolstered their ground game through the draft, adding Michigan product Blake Corum.

WR Puca Nacua shattered rookie receiving records in 2023 with 105 total receptions and 1,486 yards.

The Rams are also 6-1 in Week 1 games with Sean McVay as head coach.

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Full Game Total Under 51.5 (FanDuel)

Over is the sexy pick. Two dynamic offenses on the fast track of Ford Field should light it up.

As great American poet W. Axl Rose once told us, it’s so easy.

Oh, if only sports betting were so.

I’m always wary of “sure thing” bets. And I think this game goes under 51.5 despite these two offenses.

Detroit’s weak spot last year was their pass defense, specifically their secondary. Detroit allowed an average of 257 passing yards per game, second to last in the NFL.

Incoming cornerbacks Amik Robertson and Carlton Davis III will improve the Lions’ pass coverage. The Lions also invested heavily in the CB position during the draft, adding Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. in the first two rounds.

A new-look secondary should help Aiden Hutchinson get more sacks.

The Rams are without Aaron Donald, and there’s no replacing his impact. But the Los Angeles defense isn’t in shambles. They added Braden Fiske and Jared Verse, two defensive linemen in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Don’t forget about Michael Hoecht, a speedy interior lineman who can also cause havoc in the backfield.

These offenses will be deadly, but I don’t expect them to murder during Week 1. A few sacks and a few miscues early will keep the score lower than you’d expect.

Week 1 NFL Odds: Rams Cover and Win Outright

I think the Detroit Lions are the best team in the NFC, but don’t sleep on the Rams. Given Sean McVay’s Week 1 pedigree and a slower-than-expected offensive performance from both teams, I’ll take the points with the Rams.