The Detroit Lions will look to build on a three-game win streak when they go on the road to Bank of America Stadium to take on the Carolina Panthers.
Detroit has won seven of their last eight games after a 1-6 start. The offense has been one of the best in the league, and they’ve continued to rally around head coach Dan Campbell, who seems to be getting the most out of his roster.
Despite the quarterback dysfunction and expecting to be one of the worst teams in the league in the preseason, the Panthers still have a chance to win the NFC South. Even following a loss to the Steelers, they trail the Bucs — with a matchup set for Week 17 — by just a game at 5-9.
Continue reading for the latest Detroit vs Carolina odds, predictions, and best bets for this Week 16 matchup.
Lions vs Panthers Odds
As of Monday, Dec. 19, at noon EST, the Lions are a three-point road favorite against the Panthers with the Over/Under set at 44.5.
With the struggles of both defenses, this total feels on the lower side.
The Panthers’ offense should have a chance to put some points on the board against a shaky Lions defense, and the Lions’ offense should have little to no issue moving the ball against the Carolina defense.
Take a look at the best Lions odds and Panthers odds for the 2022 NFL season.
Lions vs Panthers Implied Totals
Lions 23.75, Panthers 20.75
The Lions’ have won three straight games and have looked impressive the last couple weeks, so the oddsmakers giving them the respect of a three-point favorite on the road is unsurprising.
On a neutral site, the Lions would be around a touchdown favorite, which feels right against a struggling Panthers team with a ton of question marks heading into the final three weeks.
Lions vs Panthers Pick of the Day
Read more on this Lions vs Panthers bet below.
Lions vs Panthers Prediction
Lions 28, Panthers 21
The Lions have been playing well in the last couple of months, and they should have no problem taking care of the Panthers this week.
Detroit’s offense has been among the best in the league, scoring 26.4 points per game behind Jared Goff. Goff is eighth in the NFL in passing yards (3,604), he’s thrown 23 touchdowns, and hasn’t thrown an interception in the last six games.
Detroit’s defense has had its struggles and has been one of the worst units in the league this year. They’re allowing 398.5 yards per game and a league-worst 26 points per game. Still, it’s worth noting that the Lions’ defense has played better of late.
Even against the Lions’ defense, the Panthers’ offense is a mess. Carolina traded Robbie Anderson and Christian McCaffery around the deadline and released Baker Mayfield a couple of weeks later.
Sam Darnold has retaken over the quarterback responsibilities, completing 59.1% of his passes for 509 yards and three touchdowns in his three starts this season. Despite his performance, the Panthers are 2-1 in those starts.
The Lions should have no problems moving the ball up and down the field and should be able to go on the road and pick up the win in a high-scoring affair.
Lions vs Panthers Bet Tips
Here are a few Lions vs Panthers betting trends to consider before making your bets:
- Carolina is 4-1 against the spread in their last five games, but 4-10 in their last 14 home games.
- The total has gone Over in 11 of Detroit’s last 16 games.
- The oddsmakers are behind on the Lions as they’ve clearly turned a corner this season, they’ve won six of seven and covered the spread in all seven.
Lions vs Panthers Best Bets
Over 44 Points (-110) at PointsBet Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
I trust that the Lions will be able to score plenty of points and will account for most of this total.
The Lions have scored over 30 points in four of their last six games, and if they can reach that threshold in this game, we can count on the Panthers to get us the rest of the way.
Look for the Lions to get off to a strong start offensively and never look back in a high-scoring game where the total sails Over.
Want to bet on the Panthers? Check out the best U.S. sportsbooks!
Lions -3 (-105) at DraftKings Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Lions were expected to take a step forward this season, but not sure anyone thought they’d be this successful. The win over the Jets last week cashed their preseason win total with three weeks to spare.
The Panthers are just a mess, even if they still have a chance to win the NFC South. The defense simply won’t be able to slow down the surprising Detroit offense, and their offense will continue struggle with Darnold at the helm.
Want to bet on the Lions? Check out the best MI sportsbooks!
Lions vs Panthers Props
Check out the best Lions vs Panthers player prop bets this week with our props comparison tool. Click on “Show More Games" below to find the Detroit vs Carolina game and see all of its prop bets.
