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After a thrilling overtime finish against the Green Bay Packers in Week 4, the New England Patriots welcome in the Detroit Lions in Week 5. The Lions will be looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking loss to the Seattle Seahawks at home. These aren’t teams that meet often, so it will be the first time Detroit head coach Dan Campbell has taken on the Pats. He’s been a polarizing figure since joining the team and he should make it quite an exciting matchup against New England head coach Bill Belichick.
Our experts have broken down the ins and outs of this matchup and like the Lions to cover the +3 spread at -115 odds at DraftKings Sportsbook.
| Betting Market | Best bet for Sunday, 10/9 |
|---|---|
| Spread prediction | Lions +3 (-115) |
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Lions vs. Patriots prediction highlighting Lions +3 (-115)
The Lions’ record is 1-3, but that doesn’t tell the whole story of their season. They’re actually 3-1 against the spread (ATS), which is behind only the Atlanta Falcons for the best such record in the NFL. They’ve even shown they can at least cover the spread against the best teams in the league.
Detroit lost by just three points to the Eagles in Week 1, who are now the only undefeated team in the NFL at 4-0. After defeating the Washington Commanders in convincing fashion, the Lions lost by just four points to the Minnesota Vikings and were beaten by just three points last week to the Seahawks.
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Detroit should be able to keep this game close, if not pull off the outright upset, against a Patriots team leaning on a third-string QB. Starting QB Mac Jones went down with a severe high ankle sprain in Week 3, which left backup QB Brian Hoyer at the helm last week. However, he too was injured early in the game against the Packers.
That leaves rookie QB Bailey Zappe to lead the Pats this Sunday. On the flip side, the Lions will be getting back star WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. He is a vital piece to their offensive success, as he had scored a touchdown in six of their last seven games dating back to last season.
RB Jamaal Williams ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns last week, so the Lions offense should be firing on all cylinders to help them at least cover the +3 spread.
How to bet Lions +3 (-115) at DraftKings Sportsbook
Whether you wish to fade or follow our Lions +3 prediction, DraftKings is the place to do it. Simply navigate to their NFL page, and the Lions vs. Patriots game will be among the early 1:00 pm EST games for Week 5. The spread, total (over/under) and money line markets will automatically be listed for you.
New users can also take advantage of DraftKings’ great NFL-specific promotion. You can win $200 in free bets with a successful $5 wager on any NFL team’s pre-game money line. With the Lions being an underdog in this matchup, we would suggest using your sign-up bonus on a heavier favorite for the best chance to win your bet and therefore win your $200 in free bets.
Is Dan Campbell on the hot seat after a 1-3 start?
The Lions haven’t been a team in the spotlight very much over the last few seasons other than their annual Thanksgiving Day games. However, that changed with the signing of head coach Dan Campbell. He’s a captivating figure in the media with his hard-nosed, tough-guy attitude. It seemed to win over the fanbase and even got the Lions to be the featured team for the HBO show Hard Knocks.
Therefore, it’s hard to imagine Campbell is truly on the hot seat after their 1-3 start. It certainly isn’t the record they were hoping for, but it’s not as though they are getting blown out and not being competitive. As previously stated, they’re 3-1 ATS and have scored the most points per game in the NFL with 35.
As long as Campbell can help improve the defensive side of the ball and the offense stays healthy, the Lions still have potential for a solid season.
Lions vs. Patriots odds provided by DraftKings
There’s no shortage of betting markets at DraftKings Sportsbook, and we’ve listed the basic markets of the spread, total and money line below:
| Team | Spread | Total (over/under) | Money line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Lions | +3 (-115) | Over 46.5 (-110) | +135 |
| New England Patriots | -3 (-105) | Under 46.5 (-110) | -155 |
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