Entering week five of the NFL sports betting season, fans and analysts are faced with one huge question, are the Detroit Lions for real? It was only three seasons ago, that the Lions became the first team in the history of the league to lose all 16 games. Now three years later, that same team appears to have the price per head services to become one of the elite teams in the NFL. Sitting comfortably at four and zero after the first month of the season, the Detroit Lions will face their toughest challenge yet, when they take on divisional rival the Chicago Bears. Today we wonder, are the Lions for real or are they just lucky?
The 2011 Detroit Lions are the culmination of a slew of tests that were used to accumulate the bookie software needed to turn the team into a legitimate threat. This Lions team historically is one of the best the fan base has ever seen, as even as recently as last year, the team could not win on the road. In fact, from 2001 – 2003 the Lions lost 24 straight games on the road. Last season, their road win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers snapped a zero for 26 streak on the road. Since that time, the team has won five straight on the road and become one of the most feared road warriors in the NFL.
To follow up the late season success in 2010, the Lions have set a new record in the league, as they are the first team to ever come back from 20-point deficits in two straight games. They first accomplished the feat against Minnesota two weeks ago when they stormed back from being down 20 points at half time to win the game outright 23 – 20 in overtime. Then Detroit followed up their late game heroics in Minnesota, by storming back to win a thrilling game 34 – 30 against the Dallas Cowboys this past weekend.
From losing all 16 games last year to going undefeated in their first four games of the 2011 season, the Detroit Lions are becoming one of the safest NFL betting picks on the line. What’s more, the Lions are led by a trio of franchise stars, as quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson and defensive back Ndamukong Suh have recaptured the hearts of Lions fans and bettors everywhere.
The Lions used to be the best team to fade on the NFL point spread line. However, dating back to the second half of the 2010 season, the Lions have managed to go 11-0-one in 12 games against the spread.
Detroit is in feel good story mode, as the Tigers are in the playoffs, and the Lions have gone from the kid being bullied to the one doing the bullying. In fact, the Detroit Lions opened the season at 75 to one odds to win the Super Bowl. Yet, now despite being six to one favorites, if the Lions do win the Super Bowl, the average payout will be $50,000.
