Detroit Lions vs. Washington Redskins: NFL Week 3 Betting Odds and Predictions

Detroit Lions vs. Washington Redskins
Sunday, 9/22/13, 1:00 PM EST
Opening Point Spread: Washington -2.5
Current Betting Line: Detroit -2
Opening Total: 48
Current Total: 48
Odds Courtesy of Bookmaker

The Detroit Lions are 3-12-1 ATS in Week 3 in its L16 seasons

Detroit has lost 21 consecutive road games against Washington, as it attempts to bounce back from a 25-21 defeat to the Arizona Cardinals as one-point favorites in Week 2, while going UNDER the betting total of 47.5. The Lions are averaging 27.5 points and 395.5 yards per game—numbers that must be respected when looking over the NFL betting lines. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has completed 65.8 percent of his passes for 635 yards, as he may be relied upon to carry the offensive unit if running back Reggie Bush is unable to go. Detroit is 3-12-1 ATS in Week 3 in its last 16 opportunities.

The Lions will look to get the ball to wide receiver Calvin Johnson, who had nine catches for 101 yards and a career-high three scores in his last meeting against the Redskins on Oct. 31, 2010. On the defensive end, Detroit leads the league in allowing opponents to convert just 14.3 percent of its third-down conversions.

Washington has scored 20 or more points in six consecutive regular season games, but it has gone 0-2 SUATS through two weeks this season—going OVER the total in each of those contests. The Redskins need quarterback Robert Griffin III to put it all together in this affair, as he’s completed 11 of 24 passes for 160 yards in the first half this season—compared to 45 of 65 for 489 yards in the final 30 minutes this year. He hasn’t done much on the ground in recovering from ACL surgery, as he’s gained just 25 yards on nine carries. Washington is 4-0 ATS in its last four games in this series.

The Redskins need to get off to a quick start in this matchup, as they’ve been unable to get into their normal offense due to falling behind by huge early deficits. “We’ve got a lot of confidence in Robert,” commented Washington head coach Mike Shanahan. It’s important to point out that the franchise opened last year with a 3-6 record, but rallied for seven consecutive wins to claim the NFC East division title.