Detroit Lions vs Kansas City Chiefs Betting Pick & Prediction 8/17/24

With the point spread sitting at -6.5 in favor of the Chiefs, our pick is to take the Lions to cover at +6.5. This one is being played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and the Chiefs are the heavy favorite at -297 on the money line. Both teams are 0-1 in the pre-season, and this week two pre-season matchup is set for 4:00 ET on Saturday, with coverage on NFLN.

DETROIT LIONS VS KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Detroit Lions +6.5

This game will be played at Arrowhead Stadium at 4:00 ET on Saturday, August 17th.

WHY BET THE DETROIT LIONS:

• We have the Chiefs winning this one by a score of 21 to 17
• Even though we like the Chiefs to win, our ATS pick is to take the Lions at +6.5
• We see this game finishing below the line of 39 points

Will The Lions Pull Off An Upset As Road Underdogs

After the first quarter, the Lions had a 3-0 lead, but they ended up losing 14-3 to the Giants in this week one pre-season matchup. With the Giants scoring 14 unanswered points after the 1st quarter, the Lions’ chances of covering the spread took a hit, as they were 3.5-point underdogs heading into this one.

With the over/under line sitting at 35.5 points, and the Lions not scoring after the 1st quarter, the Giants’ touchdown in the 2nd quarter put them ahead for good, and Detroit didn’t find the endzone again until the 4th quarter, when Hendon Hooker found Parker Hesse for a touchdown.

The Lions’ offense really struggled in their 14-3 loss to the Giants, finishing with just 110 yards passing and 118 yards rushing. Detroit’s passing game was limited to 3.3 yards per attempt, and they couldn’t find the endzone, finishing with just 3 points.

Quarterback Nate Sudfeld was their leading passer, going 13/24 for 96 yards. He finished with a passer rating of 46 and threw one interception. The Lions’ offense line allowed four sacks in this one.

In their most recent game vs. the Giants, the Lions’ defense really struggled to stop the run, as they gave up 155 rushing yards on just 27 attempts. Despite this, they were still able to limit the Giants to 95 yards passing and force them to just 14 completions.

The Lions’ defense held the Giants to just 18.2% on third down and came away with one interception. However, they did give up one big play in the passing game, as the Giants finished with just 14 points and 250 yards of offense. But, the Lions’ run defense was a big issue, as they allowed 5.7 yards per attempt.

Are The Chiefs Going To Defend Home Field Advantage?

Heading into the game, the Chiefs were 2.5-point favorites, but with the line at 40, they are now underdogs. The Chiefs’ record is 0-1 after dropping this one to the Jaguars by a score of 26-13.

Not only did the Chiefs’ straight-up pick take a loss, but they also didn’t cover the spread, as they finished with just 13 points in this one. The Jaguars led 20-13 after the 2nd quarter, and the Chiefs didn’t score in the 3rd and added a field goal in the 4th.

The Chiefs’ offense struggled on third down in their 26-13 loss to the Jaguars, finishing with a 15.4% conversion rate. They also allowed five sacks and really struggled in the passing game, finishing with just 158 yards through the air on 81.5% completions. However, they failed to find the endzone through the air.

As for the running game, they finished with 106 yards on 27 attempts. Chris Oladokun was their leading passer with 85 yards, going 7/10, and not finding the endzone. Nikko Remigio led the team with 35 yards receiving.

In their most recent game, the Chiefs’ defense allowed 246 passing yards on 29 attempts and 18 first downs. They finished with 2 sacks and held the Jaguars to just a 27.3% conversion rate on third downs.

On the ground, the Jaguars finished with 102 rushing yards on 25 attempts. Despite holding them to just 5 rushing first downs, the Chiefs allowed 102 rushing yards. Overall, they finished with 348 yards of offense in their 26-13 loss.