The Philadelphia Eagles enter this season with high hopes after managing to reach the postseason last year by winning six of their last eight games, only to lose in the Wild Card Round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Lions broke their 365-day winless streak last season by defeating the Minnesota Vikings in December, finishing the season 3-11-1.
The two teams have very different expectations heading into their 2022 campaign, but each made upgrades to their roster than could make this Week 1 matchup exciting.
Philadelphia made a huge splash over the offseason by trading for star wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans, who will join an offense led by Jalen Hurts, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert.
Over in the Motor City, the Detroit Lions drafted Alabama wideout Jameson Williams, while also adding deep threat D.J. Chark to Jared Goff‘s arsenal that already included D’Andre Swift, T.J. Hockenson, and Amon-Ra St.Brown.
Can Hurts take the necessary step forward from last season’s mixed results and make a Week 1 statement against the Lions? Or will Detroit’s No. 2 overall draft pick Aidan Hutchison make a statement of his own?
Let’s look at current betting lines to find the best value for Philadelphia vs Detroit bets and props.
Eagles vs Lions Odds
The Eagles had an impressive offseason and come in between 3.5-4-point favorites on the road against the Lions. Detroit performed well last season against the spread, but Dan Campbell‘s defense will struggle to cover against a dangerous Philadelphia passing attack.
Take a look at the best Eagles odds and Lions odds for the 2022 NFL season.
Eagles vs Lions Implied Score
Eagles 26.25, Lions 22.25
The game total suggests a modest shootout that could hit the Over late in the game. Philadelphia should be in control for most of the game with Detroit closing the gap during garbage time.
Eagles vs Lions Pick of the Day
Read more on this Eagles vs Lions bet below.
Eagles vs Lions Matchup
Hurts made promising strides during the late stretch of the regular season last year but struggled mightily in the playoffs versus Tampa Bay. The 23-year-old flew the pocket far too often instead of letting each play develop, which led to several missed opportunities for big plays.
If the Eagles are going to be successful, Hurts needs to cut down on his excessive mistakes and allow his weapons to get open.
Detroit is going to do its best to not let this happen, with Hutchison tasked by Campbell with making Hurts uncomfortable in the pocket.
There is a reason Detroit was able to select Hutchinson with the No. 2 overall pick, as the Lions’ defense surrendered the second-most points in the NFC last season (6,456) while allowing 5.9 yards per play. On the other hand, the Eagles’ defense finished with the sixth-fewest yards allowed in the NFC (5,590) with only 1,834 yards allowed on the ground.
Eagles vs Lions Prediction
Eagles 27, Lions 21
I expect the Eagles to be in control of the game script for most of the game with the potential to run away with it in the first half.
Detroit should make the game look closer than it was once the whistle blows due to garbage time production through the air, but should be able to put at least a pair of touchdowns on the board. The Lions have several home-run hitters on their offense, which will help contribute to the Over hitting.
Eagles vs Lions Bet Tips
The Lions went 11-6 against the spread last season despite winning just three games. It’s difficult to imagine that this trend will continue, but the addition of Chark certainly gives the Lions a deep threat that can turn a point spread upside down in a hurry.
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In addition, the Over has hit in the previous eight meetings between the Eagles and Lions. Introducing Brown and Chark to the mix will only fuel the fire even more for a points bonanza.
Eagles vs Lions Best Bets
Eagles -3.5 (-114) at FanDuel Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
Hurts showed growth down the stretch last season before being exposed in the playoffs for his lack of experience.
However, another offseason combined with the addition of dangerous weapons on offense will provide the young quarterback will plenty of firepower against the Lions.
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Eagles vs Lions Props
Eagles Win by 1-13 Points (+145) at FanDuel
Wager: 1 Unit
There is always the possibility that the Eagles’ offense clicks out of the gate and we have a blowout on our hands, but I doubt we see that in Week 1. Detroit is playing at home and plays very hard for their head coach, which should feed into last year’s trend of losing close games.
Eagles vs Lions Parlays
Eagles -3.5 & Over 48.5 Total Points (+260) at FanDuel
Based on my suggested wagers above, a great value bet would be to combine the Eagles covering the -4.5 spread with the Over 46 points.
