Football Betting – Stafford Back Under Center for Lions

Those in the football betting world know that the Detroit Lions are very optimistic about their immediate future, now that Matthew Stafford is back under center again as the starting quarterback.

On Sunday, the Lions will play host to the Washington Redskins in NFL action that is set to begin at 1 PM ET at Ford Field (artificial turf) in Detroit. The Lions are three-point favorites in the football betting odds, with the total on the game established at 45 points.

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Washington Redskins (4-3 SU, 5-1-1 ATS) at Detroit Lions (1-5 SU, 5-1 ATS)
Live at Ford Field
Detroit, MI
Sunday, October 31– 1 PM ET
TV: FOX

Football Betting Odds:

Detroit -3
Washington +3
Total 45

Here are some of the trends as they impact the football betting odds on this game:

· Washington has lost 13 of its last 19 games SU
· Washington has played four of its last six road games OVER the total
· Washington has lost eleven of its last 14 road games SU
· Washington is 5-1-1 ATS in its last seven road games
· Detroit has lost 11 of its last 12 games SU
· Detroit has played four of its last five games OVER the total
· Detroit has played five of its last six home games OVER the total
· Detroit has lost 15 of its last 18 home games SU
· Detroit has covered six of its last 19 home games

The Redskin defense had a picnic against Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears last week, sacking Cutler four times and exerting pressure that led to other mistakes, including four interceptions by DeAngelo Hall, one returned for a touchdown, in the 17-14 victory.

The stop unit allowed just one Chicago touchdown, and now opponents have had to gain 21.4 yards for every point scored against the ‘Skins. It wasn’t what you would call an encouraging performance from Donovan McNabb, who was 17 of 32 with two INT’s, one of which was brought back for six.

The Redskins converted just two of 13 third downs.

Here are the head-to-head betting trends as they involve the football betting odds on this game:

· Five of the last six meetings have gone UNDER the total
· Washington has won 16 of the last 19 meetings SU
· Washington is 8-4-1 ATS in the last 13 meetings

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One of the keys to what Washington is doing involves the play of Ryan Torain, who has rushed for 100 and 125 yards in the last two weeks. Is this going to make the difference in the game?

Well, we don’t really know, but for the time being, the Redskins do not miss Clinton Portis, and that is important. Mike Shanahan liked what he saw when he drafted the talented Torain out of Arizona State a couple of seasons ago, and that faith is being justified.

Detroit’s weak spot on defense has been defending the run (4.9 ypc allowed).

Some football bettors might be surprised to know that under Shaun Hill, who was filling in while Stafford was injured, the Lions averaged over 26 points a game.

Hill was a veteran, but let’s put Stafford’s presence here into perspective; he may be the team’s QB of the future, but he has not demonstrated he is the guy of the present.

Stafford, in fact, has started eleven games and missed eleven in his brief career. He has thrown just 15 passes in 2010, and last year he had 13 TD’s but 20 interceptions. Detroit has won only four of its last 46 games, and one of its two wins last year was against the Redskins at Ford Field.

The revenge angle on the part of the ‘Skins certainly isn’t going to work to Detroit’s advantage here. Why is Detroit the favorite anyway? We’re moving with Washington, the three-point underdog in the football betting odds.

JAY’S PLAY: WASHINGTON +3 ****
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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