The Detroit Lions are hosting the Seattle Seahawks this week in one of two Monday Night Football matchups scheduled to conclude NFL Week 4 action. The Lions are favored by 4 or 4.5 points at most books after opening as around six-point favorites. The total opened at around 49 points and is down to 46.5 points at most books.
Detroit (2-1) bounced back from a head-scratching loss to Tampa Bay with a 20-13 win in Arizona last week, marking the franchise’s ninth straight win following a loss. The Lions could be without slot cornerback Brian Branch (neck) and tight end Sam LaPorta (ankle) this week.
Seattle (3-0) has cruised to a pair of comfortable home victories against Denver and an injury-depleted Miami squad. The Seahawks won in overtime in New England in Week 2, and their defense is off to a smashing start under new coach Mike Macdonald.
We’ll take a look at the Monday Night Football odds below, along with a couple of scenarios for how this game could play out. We also cover a MI sportsbook promo ahead of the game.
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Detroit Lions favored ahead of MNF matchup against Seahawks
How Detroit could cover the spread and win
While they might have some issues passing the ball or defending the pass, the Lions can rule the line of scrimmage. The Detroit Lions’ offensive line is arguably the best run-blocking unit in the game, and the team has a top-five defensive line according to most metrics. Detroit only allowed 3.3 yards per carry in two home games to open the season, and the Seahawks could be without lead back Kenneth Walker (abdomen) for a third straight week.
Making the visiting offense into a one-dimensional attack could give the Lions a home-field boost with extra crowd noise. Quarterback Jared Goff went 6-2 at home with a 107.9 passer rating last season, and he’s clearly more comfortable when playing indoors.
How Seattle could cover the spread or win
Mike Macdonald proved to be one of the best defensive coaches in the NFL last year as Baltimore’s coordinator. An early favorite in Coach of the Year odds, his arrival has helped Devon Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen post some of the best coverage grades among any cornerbacks in the league.
With lockdown cornerbacks on the outside, the Seahawks can divert more resources toward stopping Detroit’s running game and pressuring Goff. The Lions could be missing a key interior receiver in Sam LaPorta, and they’ve struggled to produce in their intermediate passing game thus far. Geno Smith completed 78% of his passes for 328 yards in a trip to Detroit last September, leading Seattle to an overtime win.
