Following their third consecutive losing season, the Detroit Lions have plenty of areas on the defensive side of the ball to address. The club is allowing an NFL-worst 31.1 points per game and ranks 27th or worse in many other defensive categories. The Lions will hope to come up with a strong performance when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. Kickoff from Ford Field is set for 1 p.m. ET.

Detroit (5-9), which has yielded at least 30 points in its last four games and eight overall, set a season-high with last Sunday's 46-25 loss at Tennessee. The Buccaneers (9-5), who can clinch their first playoff berth since 2007 with a win or tie, are seventh in the NFL with an average of 28.6 points per contest and have scored at least 30 six times. Tampa Bay is a 10.5-point favorite in the latest Buccaneers vs. Lions odds from William Hill Sportsbook, while the over-under is 55. Before locking in any Lions vs. Buccaneers picks, check out the latest NFL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up almost $7,900 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception five-plus years ago. It is a sizzling 22-11 on top-rated NFL picks this season, returning more than $800. The model also enters Week 16 on an incredible 118-76 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season.

The model ranked in the Top 10 on NFLPickWatch in three of the past four years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 95 percent of CBS Sports office pool players three times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up. 

Now, the model has set its sights on Buccaneers vs. Lions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the picks. Here are the NFL betting odds from William Hill and the latest trends for Lions vs. Buccaneers:

  • Buccaneers vs. Lions spread: Tampa Bay -10.5
  • Buccaneers vs. Lions over-under: 55 points
  • Buccaneers vs. Lions money line: Tampa Bay -550, Detroit +425
  • TB: Buccaneers are 3-10 against the spread in their last 13 meetings with Detroit
  • DET: Over has hit in nine Lions games this season

Why the Buccaneers can cover

After struggling for the first two quarters last Sunday, Tampa Bay produced five consecutive scoring drives after halftime to erase a pair of 17-point deficits and post its fourth straight road win. Tom Brady threw for a season-high 390 yards and two touchdowns, including a 46-yarder to Antonio Brown with 6:19 remaining in the fourth quarter that put the Buccaneers ahead for good.

Chris Godwin also had a TD catch, while Mike Evans recorded his first 100-yard performance since Week 4 and third overall this year, hauling in six passes for 110 yards. The 27-year-old Evans has gone two games without a scoring reception but ranks fourth in the league with 11 this season. The Texas A&M product needs 221 yards over the final two contests to reach 1,000 for the seventh time in as many seasons since being selected seventh overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Why the Lions can cover

Detroit may have issues on defense, but it ranks seventh in passing offense (264.5 yards). Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford is ninth in the league with 3,774 yards and has thrown at least one touchdown pass in all but one game this season. The 32-year-old quarterback connected for a score last Sunday with Marvin Jones Jr., who leads the Lions with seven TD catches.

Jones finished with 10 receptions for 110 yards against the Titans, marking the second time in three games he's recorded 100 yards and a touchdown. The 30-year-old wideout, who also tops Detroit in catches (65) and receiving yards (779), needs one reception to eclipse the career-high he set in 2015 with Cincinnati.

Rookie tight end Hunter Bryant finally got involved in the passing game last week, making his first career catch, a 44-yarder, in just his third NFL appearance.

How to make Buccaneers vs. Lions picks

SportsLine's model is leaning under on the total, with the model suggesting neither team will have a rusher eclipse 50 yards. It also says one side of the spread is hitting in more than 50 percent of simulations. You can only get that pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Lions vs. Buccaneers on Saturday? And which side of the spread cashes in over 50 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Buccaneers vs. Lions spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up almost $7,900 on its top-rated NFL picks, and find out.