The opening round of NFL playoffs is finally here and this game between the Lions and the Rams on Sunday, Jan. 14, is one to keep your eyes on. A great way to get close to the action on the field is to use our sportsbook welcome bonuses to bet on postseason action this weekend. We have an extensive amount of promotional offers from the best online sportsbooks that total over $5,000! Now, let’s take a look at the Lions vs. Rams betting odds, props, predictions for the NFC Wild Card.
NFC Wild Card Lions vs. Rams Betting Odds
This season, Detroit has been the best team against the spread at 12-5 with a 70% cover percentage. The Rams are in the top five against the spread with a record of 10-6-1 with a 62.5% cover percentage.
The Lions have shattered expectations with Coach of the Year candidate Dan Campbell. Moreover, Detroit has found a tandem of running backs that give an extra burst to the offense, and a home playoff game for the Lions against the Rams and head coach Sean McVay is a much-needed advantage.
Los Angeles was in a gray area at the beginning of the season, but has found success from from Matthew Stafford’s play at QB, rookie WR Puka Nacua’s emergence next to Cooper Kupp and rookie RB Kyren Williams in the backfield.
While the Lions are having historic levels of success, McVay is as dangerous as any coach in the playoffs even on the road. Lions QB Jared Goff throws well against zone coverage, but dealing with Rams DE Aaron Donald is a whole different story.
Lions vs. Rams Best Prop Bets
Matthew Stafford Over 272.5 Passing Yards (-114 odds at FanDuel Sportsbook)
Matthew Stafford has played undeniably great football since rebounding from thumb injury. There has been a noticeable uptick in his performance ever since his game against the Cardinals. In the last six games, Stafford has thrown for more than 225 yards in every game and in his two most recent games, he cleared 300 passing yards.
Nacua has an established rhythm and with Kupp directly adjacent to him, this game has everything in line for Stafford to have a massive passing game. Of course, Williams will have his touches, but to take the Lions’ crowd out of the game, Stafford will need to find success through the air.
The recent stats and how this team has been playing down the stretch suggest that this line should not prove to be a challenge for Stafford.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Over 88.5 Receiving Yards (-117 odds at Caesars Sportsbook)
Just in case you’ve been living under a rock, Amon-Ra St. Brown is the undisputed and clear No. 1 receiver in Detroit. Over the course of this season, St. Brown tied Tyreek Hill in receptions with 119.
The USC alum also stood out with 1,515 receiving yards, which ranks him at No. 3 in the league, and 10 receiving touchdowns, which ranks him No. 4. All of this points to just how well St. Brown can function as arguably the best wide receiver on the field in this game.
When looking at his last four games, St. Brown has notched at least 90 yards in each game. The trend suggests that the star wideout will have continued success in the playoffs and this 88.5 receiving yards prop bet looks to be a solid one for St. Brown to clear, especially at home.
Lions vs. Rams Prediction: Los Angeles Ends Lions’ Cinderella Run
Goff has not been disappointing in the closing games of the regular season, but he has been a bit up and down. Goff has had two subpar performances in his last five games against both the Bears and the Cowboys. His rating for these games were both below 70.0 and his completion percentage was below 60%.
The biggest draw for this conclusion is how much Goff has to rely on his run game. With the Rams, Stafford can still be great despite a run game. TE Sam LaPorta has a chance to be active for this game, but even if he is, he will not be 100%.
The Lions are favored by 3 points, but we’re siding with the Rams to win the game outright. You can get a nice price of around +135 on the Rams moneyline.
