Football is officially back, even if the preseason does not carry the same bells and whistles. Helping kick off Week 1 of the preseason, the Detroit Lions will face the Cincinnati Bengals.
Both these teams will be looking to improve from last year’s underwhelming outcomes, with each expected Super Bowl contender missing the playoffs outright. Both sides seem to be taking different approaches for this preseason opener, with Dan Campbell indicating most of the key starters will remain sidelined, while the Bengals are expected to lean on several of their key stars for at least a few snaps.
Looking at the odds for the preseason matchup, the Bengals enter as 6.5-point favorites and hold -265 odds of winning outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Lions hold +215 odds of pulling off the upset with the game total set at 38.5 points.
Lions vs. Bengals prediction, pick
Detroit Lions preview
When the Lions’ offense is fully clicking, it is among the most dominant in the league. Even while missing the playoffs last year, Detroit finished fifth in the NFL in yards and fourth in points per game. But the Lions will not lean on their top stars for this preseason matchup, headlined by Jared Goff not being expected to take any snaps.
Quarterback will especially be a position to watch in this matchup. Goff will be held out of the game, and Teddy Bridgewater announced his retirement from football just a few days ago. This leaves undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer to largely be thrown into the fire. Joshua Dobbs was also recently signed to replace Bridgewater, but this signing also occurred just a few days ago, so Dobbs likely will be behind the eight ball in the flow of the offense and understanding of the playbook.
Altmyer had some encouraging flashes across his past three seasons at Illinois after transferring from Ole Miss. Last season, he finished with 3,007 passing yards, 22 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions, adding 242 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground. This is a great chance for the rookie to cement his standing with the team and in the NFL, so he should look to capitalize.
There are a few other key positional battles to note outside of the quarterback spot. Plenty of eyes will be on OT Blake Miller, as the 17th-overall pick is hoped to help cement the offensive line this season. Edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein also has gained plenty of hype in training camp. Hassanein saw his season end last year in preseason due to injury, and he will look to prove why he can play a major role on this team.
Cincinnati Bengals preview
In contrast to the Lions’ approach, the Bengals appear intent on giving their key starters a few live-game reps. Head coach Zac Taylor told reporters that Joe Burrow is expected to play some snaps alongside Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, while Dexter Lawrence will make his Bengals debut. Slow starts have been an issue for Cincinnati in past years during the regular season, and it has been a clear message that the team is intent on hitting the ground running this year.
During last year’s preseason opener, Burrow and the rest of the starting offense tallied two touchdown drives before being pulled from the matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. Burrow was 9-for-10 for 123 yards and two passing touchdowns in these chances. Cincinnati will look to repeat this type of effort against a Lions defense that will also be resting some key names.
Joe Flacco, Josh Johnson, and Sean Clifford are the other three quarterbacks on the Bengals’ roster. Clifford, the former Penn State QB, has the most to prove out of this group. The Bengals will also be monitoring a battle at the kick returner positions and hoping to get more success out of their defense, which finished last season ranked 30th in points allowed and 31st in yards conceded.
Lions vs. Bengals best bet
6.5-points is a significant spread for a preseason matchup, and the second largest of the entire preseason Week 1 slate on DraftKings Sportsbook. But this is for good reason given the difference in approach from these two teams. Dan Campbell is clearly prioritizing evaluation in this preseason opportunity, while Zac Taylor wants to get his starters all on the same page against a live defense.
This should lead to some early results for the Bengals and makes it likely that the Lions fall in an early hole. Given the uncertainty of Luke Altmyer at the quarterback position, who will be playing his first true NFL snaps, this is too much to overlook. Granted, Altmyer has opened some eyes in camp and his mobility could cause some issues against this vulnerable defense.
Burrow is still among the most elite quarterbacks in the league when he plays to his peak, and expect him to have a fire lit under him to start this game following last year’s disappointment. This is an important season for his future in Cincinnati. He opened last year with a pair of clinical drives that led to touchdowns in the first preseason matchup. Expect more of the same this year.
Expect the difference in approach between these two teams to show in the final score as the Bengals make a clearer effort to get in the win column. The Lions went 1-3 in the preseason last year, with their lone victory coming in a 17-10 win over the Falcons. It will take more offensive firepower to get a positive result in this one, and the Bengals may push the scoring total to a level that the inexperienced Altmyer has no answer for. Don’t blink at the notable number – back Cincinnati to cover the 6.5-point spread as most of their key starters see action early.
