With the conclusion of Monday Night Football’s action it is abundantly clear around the league that the online NFL betting season is now officially here. Opening weekend was not shy in delivering a fair share of surprises, one of which was the Detroit Lions upsetting the Indianapolis Colts. Neither team was coming off a successful season, but the majority of critics were banking on the Colts to come away with this one.
The final score was 35-39 and it’s clear this game came down to the final seconds. The game was a back and forth between Matthew Stafford and Andrew Luck, but in the end the Lions’ quarterback came out on top. Don’t get it wrong, Luck had a terrific game throwing for 31/47 for 368 yards, 4 touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The only problem was that Stafford’s performance was just a tad bit better. The 28-year old Stafford finished the day going 31/39 for 340 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions. The play at quarterback this past Sunday was phenomenal; Stafford posted a passer rating of 128.6 and Luck was just shy of that mark with 119.5. Both quarterbacks performed at their peak but this time the cards fell in the Lions’ favor. This game may not have had playoff implications, but at the very least it provided the online NFL betting community some intense football action as early as Week 1. With one under their belt the Lions now turn to their next opponent, the Tennessee Titans.
While the Lions may be eager to face the 0-1 Titans, the last thing Tennessee wants to do is face another team from the NFC North. The Titans were handed their first loss of the season by the Minnesota Vikings – the reigning NFC North Champions. The final score of the match was 25-16, but on paper things appeared to be much closer. Minnesota finished the day with 301 yards on offense, which wasn’t far from the Titans 316 yards. The Vikings enjoyed 15 first downs while the Titans earned 19. If you were to compare just those stats you’d be inclined to think Tennessee came out on top in this matchup, but once you look at the turnovers it’s clear who the real victor was. The Vikings forced three turnovers, two of which were returned for touchdowns, while the Titans couldn’t force a single one. Without Terry Bridgewater at quarterback, and a running game that was sputtering for 4 quarters, Minnesota had to turn to their defense to put points on the board. That didn’t prove to be a problem in this matchup, but who knows if it will be down the road. The Titans are eager to put this game behind them and to focus on maintaining possession of the ball. They’ll get their chance to prove themselves worthy of your online football bet come Sunday against the Lions.
Week 2 Sunday September 15th
Titans +5 ½ (-110) 47 (-110)
Lions -5 ½ (-110) 47 (-110)
The spread is favoring the Lions in this matchup which comes as no surprise after seeing how the Titans lost last Sunday. With a win here the Lions can earn the #2 spot in the North; since the Packers and Vikings are playing each other this Sunday. Whoever wins the Pack-Vikes game will take the top spot, and with a win against the Titans the Lions can cozy up to that #2 spot. Not too many people consider the Lions to be a legitimate playoff contender, but if Stafford keeps playing at the same level he did in his 2016 debut, it’s hard to not take Detroit seriously. It’s difficult to see a future where the Lions become online NFL betting favorites, but that future isn’t unwelcome. God knows the city of Detroit needs something to rally around.
