Could you say that the Detroit Lions backed into the playoffs? Well, that would not be unfair at all, because this team, which looked like it had a stranglehold on the NFC North after a five-game winning streak, went limp in its final three games, losing all of them, and it took a loss by the Washington Redskins in the season finale to put them into the post-season. Now Detroit drags itself to the Pacific Northwest for a date with the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Wild Card game, beginning at 8:15 PM ET on Saturday at CenturyLink Field. NBC will provide the television, and VietBet customers, who get reduced juice prior to the contest, can place wagers even after the opening kickoff through the phenomenon known as Live Betting Ultra.
Lions at Seahawks – NFC Wild Card Game Odds:
In the NFC Wild Card Game betting odds posted on this game by the folks at VietBet, the Seahawks are solid favorites:
Seattle Seahawks -8
Detroit Lions +8
Over 43 points -110
Under 43 points -110
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NFC Wild Card Game Odds – CJ’s Take:
The Lions entered the final game of the NFL regular season tied with the Green Bay Packers at 9-6, but lost a 31-24 decision. They finished at 9-7 straight-up and 7-8-1 against the football pointspread. The Seahawks were never really challenged after the first month of the season, coasting to the NFC West championship. They go into this encounter with a 10-5-1 straight-up ledger, but they have not been profitable, going 7-9 ATS.
Part of the back story, as it has been the last few weeks, involves the finger injury to Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford, and it becomes a concern that is magnified only because while he has been dealing with that, including wearing a special glove, his team has lost these three games in a row.
It certainly isn’t encouraging news for Lions fans, who have not experienced a lot of playoff success, that Seattle has won nine consecutive playoff games on this field. Of course, on top of that, Seattle has, with principally the same cast, reached two Super Bowls, winning one of them. But what is interesting about this edition of the Seahawks is that they did not end of the season with a full head of steam, as they have done quite a bit during Pete Carroll’s tenure. In fact, they have gone 3-3 in their last six games, and that included extremely disappointing losses to the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, not to mention a two-close-for-comfort 25-23 victory over the San Francisco 49ers last week.
Injuries are a concern around the Seattle camp as well; safety Earl Thomas is not available, having suffered a season-ending injury, and that makes the Seahawks a little more susceptible to Stafford’s downfield passing. What has been somewhat evident to many VietBet patrons is that Stafford has forced the ball quite a bit and that maybe, just maybe, his motion, or release, is affected by the injured finger. During these last three games he has completed 60% of his passes with a pair of touchdowns and three interceptions.
The Lions have a trio of productive wide receivers in Golden Tate (1077 yards and a former Seahawk), Marvin Jones (930 yards) and veteran slot guy Anquan Boldin that will challenge the Seattle corners. But the backfield is going to be a problem for Detroit; Theo Riddick, the leading rusher, but more importantly, someone who was on the other end of 53 of Stafford’s throws, is out with a wrist injury. Zach Zenner (334 yards) has been serviceable, to a degree, but there is nothing threatening there. And when you go to Seattle to play the Seahawks, it never helps to be one-dimensional.
By Charles Jay
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