The 2023 NFC title rematch may not mean much with the 49ers eliminated, but it’s meaningful with action on DraftKings Sportsbook. The outcome doesn’t matter for the 49ers, but it does for those looking for some extra holiday cash. Check out the Week 17 matchup between the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers and some of the best bets you can make on DraftKings Sportsbook.
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Detroit Lions -3 (-118)
A lot has changed since last season. A lot has changed since the beginning of this season. It’s not surprising to see the Lions favored by three points. The Niners are eliminated from contention and are not running at full strength. The context matters. The context doesn’t give the Lions the respect they deserve. The Lions could be road favorites with the Niners still in contention and with an injury or two fewer. The Lions have a great offense and sub-par defense. They are vulnerable at times, but the potent offense can cover lines.
The Lions haven’t been covering of late. They beat the Bears on Thanksgiving by three but failed to cover the 10-point spread. It was an extremely short week (noon kickoff on Thursday). The Lions had a 23-7 lead heading into the fourth quarter before the tryptophan kicked in. They missed the Packers’ cover by the hook. The next week the Bills beat the two-point favorites in a 48-42 shootout. Forget about recent cover trends. The 49ers haven’t covered at all this season — 5-10 ATS. San Francisco covered one of its last seven games (Dec. 8 vs. Bears). It’s been an underdog twice this season and was TD dogs in both. It lost by 28 points (Packers) and 25 (Bills).
Trends matter. Talent matters. Context matters. The situation may matter the most. The mindset is the setup. What’s the Lions’ setup? Their system is set to the max. It’s overclocked without liquid cooling. Head coach Dan Campbell likes it that way. He’s a guy that eats raw meat or chars it into a hockey puck. The Lions will not drift into the playoffs. They’re not sleeping in or sleepwalking. Detroit is fighting each week and staying sharp.
The 49ers were eliminated from the playoffs just before their Week 16 game. The competitive juices lasted for a half. The Niners got on the board early but the Dolphins closed the game by outscoring the 49ers 24-3. The Niners packed it in. It’s still packed away and likely won’t be seen until September. Lay the points.
Jared Goff Under 248.5 Passing Yards (-115)
Head coach Dan Campbell is a madman, but he’s not insane. On second thought, he might be insane. As intense as he is, Campbell knows what not to do when this game gets out of hand. He knows what to do when the game is close. Jared Goff must be protected. The Lions revealed their hand this week. Old man Teddy Bridgewater dusted off his gloves and came out of retirement. Will Bridgewater get work? Will the old sheriff unholster the gloves and save the town? That’s not the plot of this Western. The West is won. The NFC conference will belong to the Detroit Lions. They need a backup plan. Bridgewater doesn’t need snaps. Goff needs to be limited. His guns need to be taken away. He can do some target shooting to stay sharp, but there will not be a shootout in the O.K. Corral. The Lions will run and sit on the clock. The Niners are watching the clock too. Brock Purdy will sip his coffee in his cubicle and wait for five o’clock to roll around. It’s unders all around on Monday Night Football.
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