The New England Patriots will look for their first win in four preseason games Friday when they visit the Detroit Lions as 2 1/2-point betting favorites at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com.
New England dropped to 0-2 in August with last week’s 27-23 loss to the Houston Texans as one-point chalk, and is winless in two road preseason contests. The Patriots also are 0-4 against the spread in their last four games as a preseason road favorite going into Friday night’s Patriots vs. Lions betting matchup at Ford Field.
New England opened its August schedule with a 31-24 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars as three-point chalk, a contest that featured few appearances from the team’s star core, and blew a third-quarter lead in its loss in Houston. Quarterback Tom Brady did look good in limited action against the Texans, completing six of nine passes for one touchdown, while second-year running back D.J. Foster amassed a team-high 75 total yards, and added one TD catch.
Patriots veterans are expected to see increased playing time as the club makes its first preseason visit to the Motor City since 2013. New England suffered a 40-9 loss to the Lions as a 1 1/2-point underdog four years ago to fall to 1-3 SU and ATS in their past four August dates with Detroit, according to the OddsShark NFL Database.
The Patriots’ offense also has been mute against Detroit, averaging fewer than 11 points per game over their past three preseason meetings.
The regular season tells a different story, with the Patriots dominating in their past four contests against Detroit. However, the Lions are off to a strong start to the NFL campaign, using stifling defense to claim SU victories in their first two preseason outings.
Detroit surrendered just two second-half field goals in a 16-6 win over the New York Jets as 4 1/2-point home favorites a week ago, and held the Indianapolis Colts to just 230 total yards in a 24-10 win in a preseason opener list as a pick’em on the NFL odds.
The Lions have a lot to prove in the upcoming campaign after collapsing down the stretch with three straight SU and ATS losses, followed by a meager performance in a 26-6 playoff loss in Seattle as eight-point underdogs.
But while the Lions have struggled to find postseason success, they have dominated in the preseason, particularly at home where they are 17-2 SU in their past 19 games, including a pair of outright wins as home underdogs.
Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
