Rams vs. Lions Same Game Parlay Picks and Predictions for Today
The first Sunday of the NFL season ends with a bang, as the Los Angeles Rams meet the Detroit Lions. Thsee high-powered offenses look to begin a playoff campaign, and DraftKings Sportsbook anticipates a lot of scoring. Both teams looked to improve the defense during the offseason, but points should be plentiful in primetime. Let’s break down the game and build a same game parlay for the NFC showdown on Sunday night.
Rams vs. Lions Same Game Parlay Preview
The Lions are 4.5-point home favorites on Sunday night. Per ScoresAndOdds, 72% of betting tickets were printed for the Rams side. Yet the spread continues to move towards the Detroit side, as 78% of actual dollars bet on the game rests with the Lions. The sharper bettors prefer the home side in a big way.
The Sunday night affair has easily the highest implied game total on the slate at 52.5 points. Tickets and money support the over, as 91% of the money is on the over tonight. The public and sharps agree. We anticipate many points on Sunday night because both defenses struggled to stop anyone in 2023.
The Lions’ pass defense was feeble last season. While the offense ranked fifth in points per game and third in yards per play, the defense struggled to keep opposing passing offenses in check. The Lions were fourth worst in opposing yards per play and allowed the third-worst yards per passing play (7.4). The Lions did, however, do a good job with the rushing attack — allowing only 3.8 yards per rush.
To remedy the situation, the Lions spent money and draft capital on the secondary. The Lions signed Carlton Davis to bolster their secondary and spent their first two draft picks on cornerbacks. The Lions are aware that to get to the next level they will need to make stops deep in the season.
The Rams also bolstered their secondary — signing Tre’Davious White, Kamren Curl, and Darious Williams. Like the Lions, the Rams struggled a bit on defense relative to the strength of their high-powered offense. The Rams ranked ninth in points per game and fifth in yards per play while their defense finished in the middle of the pack. Both the Lions and Rams ranked in the bottom ten in the NFL in sack percentage.
With both teams struggling to stop offenses in 2023, it’s no wonder the implied game total is elevated this evening. Will we witness a track meet on Sunday night? Let’s break down our second same game parlay of the 2024 NFL season.
Same Game Parlay Picks for Rams vs. Lions
- Over 52.5 Points
- Matthew Stafford Over 273.5 Passing Yards
- Amon-Ra St. Brown Over 82.5 Receiving Yards
Over 52.5 Points
Normally, I love looking for unders in Week 1. The offenses aren’t clicking yet. The preseason is too short.
Bollocks to that on Sunday night. Even with changes, these defenses need to show me they can make a stop before I bet on them. The Lions found themselves in shootout after shootout last season because they couldn’t make a stop. The Rams aren’t a pedestrian offense. With Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp on the outside, Matthew Stafford should be able to put together a big performance against his former team.
We start with the over and look to correlate with props.
Matthew Stafford Over 273.5 Passing Yards
I alluded to Stafford with our previous pick. That foreshadowing was intentional, as I love his passing prop this evening. With a healthy offense and all of his play makers at his disposal, why wouldn’t we anticipate the gunslinger compiling plenty of yards? The total is high, and the Lions are considerable favorites. The Rams are supposed to be behind, and this normally lends itself to passing.
I am excited to see what this offense looks like when both wide receivers are healthy. I am sure Matthew Stafford feels the same way. Give me the over on this passing prop.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Over 82.5 Receiving Yards
Finally, we take a shot on the Lions’ top receiver. Amon-Ra St. Brown continues to play with that chip on his shoulder, as he was passed over by team after team. One could argue St. Brown is one of the top receivers in the NFL.
Amon-Ra is going to get targeted repeatedly by Jared Goff tonight. The Lions will try to establish the run game. Yet even with this approach, St. Brown ranked 5th in the NFL in targets in 2023 in only 16 games. Even if the Lions run the ball with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown will see his 10+ targets at home.
We take the over and hope for a back-and-forth affair.
Rams vs. Lions Parlay Odds
- Over 52.5 Points
- Matthew Stafford Over 273.5 Passing Yards
- Amon-Ra St. Brown Over 82.5 Receiving Yards
DraftKings Sportsbook offers the following odds:
Parlay Odds: +385
Risk: 0.5 unit to win 1.925 units
Good luck with all of your wagers for this game. Share your parlays with me on X.
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