More than 70 years have passed since the Los Angeles Rams met the Detroit Lions in an NFL playoff game. On Sunday, that drought ends, with the Rams visiting Ford Field to take on the Lions in primetime on Sunday Night Football. The Rams are 10-7 overall after becoming only the ninth team in NFL history to reach the NFL playoffs after starting the season with a 3-6 record. The Lions are 12-5 overall and 6-2 at home this season and will try to stop the longest playoff losing streak (nine games) in NFL history.
Kickoff is at 8 p.m. ET in Detroit. For this game, the SportsLine Consensus lists the Lions as three-point favorites, while the over/under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is 52 in the latest Rams vs. Lions odds. Before you make any Lions vs. Rams picks, you need to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's advanced computer model has to say.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters the 2024 NFL playoffs on an incredible 183-129 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on a 37-21 roll on top-rated picks since Week 7 of last season and has nailed seven straight top-rated picks entering the 2024 NFL playoffs.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Rams vs. Lions and just locked in its picks and NFL predictions. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Now, here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Rams vs. Lions:
- Rams vs. Lions spread: Lions -3
- Rams vs. Lions over/under: 52 points
- Rams vs. Lions money line: Lions -165, Rams +139
- LAR: Rams are 5-3 against the spread in road games
- DET: Lions are 5-3 against the spread in home games
- Rams vs. Lions picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Rams vs. Lions live stream: fubo (try for free)
Why the Rams can cover
The Rams have a potent running game behind Kyren Williams, who led the NFL in rushing yards per game this season. Still, the centerpiece of the offensive attack for Los Angeles is arguably the passing game. Matthew Stafford will be the center of attention this week when he returns to Detroit, but he has two elite pass-catchers to connect with against the Lions. Rookie Puka Nacua finished with 105 receptions and 1,486 receiving yards this season, setting NFL rookie records in both categories. Nacua was also in the top five of the NFL in yards from scrimmage (1,575) and yards per touch (13.5), proving himself as a top-tier weapon.
In addition, former All-Pro Cooper Kupp has four games with at least 111 receiving yards this season. Kupp has averaged 92.0 receiving yards per game over the last three seasons, with 371 receptions in his last 53 regular season games. Stafford is also red-hot, averaging 295.5 yards per game with 11 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions in the last five games. He will be comfortable at Ford Field and finished in the top eight this season in passing yards per game (264.3), yards per pass completion (12.2), QBR (63.7), yards per pass attempt (7.6), and sack rate (5.44%). See which team to pick here.
Why the Lions can cover
Detroit is No. 2 in the NFL in rushing yards allowed (88.8 per game) and No. 3 in yards allowed per carry (37.7). The Lions are also yielding only a 63.1% pass completion rate to opponents, with 16 interceptions this season. Detroit allows opponents to convert only 37.1% of third down chances and former No. 2 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson is a dynamic force on the edge. He has 11.5 sacks this season, including 5.0 sacks in the last two games. That is the highest sack total for a Lions player since 2017, and Hutchinson is also stout against the run.
Detroit's offense is top-notch, scoring more than 27 points per game and more than 2.4 points per offensive possession. Detroit is only the second team in NFL history to have four players with at least 10 touchdowns each, and the Lions are comfortably in the top five of the league in total yards, yards per drive, first downs, red zone efficiency, passing yards, passing touchdowns, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and yards per rush attempt. See which team to pick here.
How to make Rams vs. Lions picks
SportsLine's model is leaning Under the point total, with neither team projected to reach 120 rushing yards. The model also says one side of the spread cashes in over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Lions vs. Rams, and which side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the Lions vs. Rams spread you need to jump on Sunday, all from the model on a 183-129 roll on NFL picks, and find out.
