Raiders Vs. Lions: Picks Against The Spread And Game Lines Vegas Style
By Abraham Gutierrez
When the Oakland Raiders and the Detroit Lions square off Sunday afternoon in the Motor City, NFL Week 11 oddsmakers and pro football bettors will be in accordance as far as the outcome of the game; straight up and against the spread. That's because the visiting Raiders not only come in as betting favorites, but the Silver and Black will also have the backing of the betting masses in their side.
Before getting into the betting consensus for this interconference clash, it's worth pointing out that NFL point spreads list the Raiders as two-and-a-half point favorites [-2½], the Lions as two-and-a-half-point underdogs [+2½], the OVER/UNDER tallies 48½ points and alternate lines go as follows: Oakland [-135] vs. Detroit [+115].
Why Bet On Raiders Against The Spread
As of Thursday morning, betting action for this contest indicates that most people are putting their money on the Raiders to cover. With 59 percent of the action in its favor, Oakland appears to be the smart bet in more ways than one, but particularly against the spread.
Recent ATS stats show that the Raiders are undefeated in five games after its defense has allowed less than 150 passing yards in their previous game. In addition, they're 6-1 in their last seven games after scoring less than 15 points the prior week, and have the same record in their last seven games played on turf.
But those aren't the only ATS stats that suggest the smart money is on the Raiders to win by a field goal (or more). In fact, Jack Del Rio's squad is 5-1 in their last six games following a double-digit loss at home. The visitors have also earned a respectable 6-2 mark in their last eight games following an ATS loss. And finally, Oakland comes in with a 12-4 ATS record in its last 16 Week 11 games.
Five Reasons Why Lions Won't Cover Spread
Despite being at home, this team has simply proven to be a disaster in terms of ATS betting this season. Thus far, the Lions have an ATS record of 2-7 on the year, and thus, not too many people are giving them a chance even with a field-goal cushion.
At the present time, only 41 percent of wagers registered have been in favor of the home dogs for this game, and with good reason. Detroit comes in with plenty of evidence suggesting November hasn't been a good month, regardless of where they play.
The Lions are not only a whopping 12-25-1 in their last 38 ATS games during this month, but they're also 3-9 in their last 12 home games against teams with losing records. Adding insult to injury is Motown's 2-7 record in their last nine games after accumulating less than 90 rushing yards, and their forgettable 1-4 ATS mark after surrendering less than 90 rushing yards and following games where the "D" has allowed more than 250 passing yards.
NFL Picks Against The Spread (Week 11): Oakland Raiders -2½
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, aExaminer.com and other online publications.
