NFL Picks – Brady’s Bunch Head to Motown for a Thanksgiving Feast

The New England Patriots, an NFL betting Picks favorite to play deep into this year’s playoffs play Detroit for the first time since 2006 on Thanksgiving Day.

The Patriots have beaten two straight AFC contenders since losing to the Cleveland Browns three weeks ago while the Detroit Lions have slipped back into the lowest tier of NFL teams with three straight losses.

Thursday, November 25, 12:30 PM ET

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (8-2) vs. DETROIT LIONS (2-8)

Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Broadcast: CBS

NFL Picks Odds:

New England: -7 (-105)

Detroit: +7 (-115)

Moneyline: OFF

Total: 51 points

The New England Patriots were an NFL Picks contender just having Tom Brady on their team. But now, with the emergence of a running game, they have become one of the scariest teams in the league. The Patriots have shown that they can beat you with the pass (350 yards passing and three touchdowns versus the Steelers); they have shown that they can beat you with the run (168 yards rushing versus the Colts) and they have been able to create problems with their defense (3 interceptions versus Peyton Manning).

The Patriots have been able to parlay the league’s 16th ranked passing game (226.6 yards per game) and the NFL’s 16th ranked running game (112.8 yards per game) into the top scoring unit in the game (28.9 points per game). To say that they are a handful is a colossal understatement.

The Detroit Lions have looked good recently and may be worthy of some NFL Picks love. But the fact remains that they are the Lions and any Karma that they deserve was sucked out of them by Greg Millen! The Lions have followed up a promising October with three straight losses and now head into their annual Thanksgiving Day game that they haven’t won since 2003.

The Detroit passing game has been good – 6th raked with 255.9 yards per game, but the running game has been miserable – 31st ranked with 80.50 yards per game. Matt Stafford is out and it appears that Jahvid Bust, I mean Jahvid Best may be forced to sit with a boo-boo on his toe.

Detroit’s defense has also been decent especially against the pass. They are 13th ranked with 213.60 yards per game, holding six of their last eight foes under 200 yards through the air. The run defense has been another story! They have given up a 26th ranked 130.60 yards per game.

Are you listening BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead?

NFL Picks Outlook:

The New England Patriots are 7-1 SU in their last eight games and are 4-2 SU in their last six versus Detroit. The Pats have owned the NFC North going 8-1 in their last 9 games against teams from that division.

The Detroit Lions are 2-14 SU in their last 16 games and are 4-16 SU in their last 20 at home. The Lions are 2-4 SU and ATS in their last six meetings with the Patriots. At home this season, Detroit is 2-2 SU and 4-0 ATS.

The Lions are a much better team than their record shows but the fact remains that they are one dimensional. The Pats played another one dimensional team last week and the Master Bill Belichek had a pretty sound game plan. If the Pats can defeat the Indianapolis passing game, this Detroit team has little chance to break their seven year Thanksgiving drought. The Lions will hang around for a while but New England will pull away in the end.

NFL Picks: New England Patriots -7

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