NFL countdown: Bookmakers ‘bullish’ on Lions

This is the eighth in a series of 32 NFL team betting previews in 32 days leading up to the league’s Sept. 10 season opener. We’ll count down the teams from the lowest season win total to the highest.

Early last season, the Detroit Lions showed they could play with any team in the league.

After a 2-0-1 start, they dropped back-to-back heartbreakers by a combined five points to eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City and a Green Bay team that won 13 games and reached the NFC championship game.

But things fell apart from there. Those losses began a run of 12 in their last 13 games to finish at 3-12-1, including going 0-8 after quarterback Matthew Stafford was injured.

“You can make the case from last year that out of all the (last-place) teams, they were the best,” Sunset Station sportsbook director Chuck Esposito said. “They should have won the first game against the Cardinals that ended in a tie, and they should have beaten the Chiefs.”

Unfortunately for the Lions, “should have” doesn’t mean much in the NFL. But both Esposito and Westgate vice president of risk management Ed Salmons like the Lions this season, especially their chances of beating their preseason win total of seven. That’s why the over is shaded slightly at -120.

“The Lions are one of the teams I’m bullish on,” Salmons said. “They were 3-4-1 when Stafford got hurt, and they improved with the draft and free agency. I absolutely lean toward the over, with their schedule outside of the division games and there’s no reason they can’t beat the division teams at home.”

While keeping Stafford healthy will be the biggest key, he should have plenty of help if his supporting cast can also stay on the field.

Running back Kerryon Johnson missed eight games to injury, and promising rookie tight end T.J. Hockenson missed four.

The Lions have a pair of wide receivers in Kenny Golliday and Marvin Jones who combined for 20 touchdown receptions. Golliday caught 65 passes for 1,190 yards and 11 scores in a breakout season, despite playing the last eight games with David Blough and Jeff Driskel at quarterback.

“They’ve got a lot of skill-position players, and Stafford is always capable of putting up big numbers,” Esposito said. “Their young wideout Kenny Golliday, you can say he’s elite now. Their offensive line was OK, but it’s hard to say for sure because Johnson got hurt. When you lose your top back, that’s a reflection on the offensive line as well.”

In the second round of the draft, the Lions added Georgia running back Deandre Swift, who should add a pass-catching threat out of the backfield and combine with Johnson for a nice 1-2 punch.

If the Lions can control the ball, that would help take pressure off a defense that was 31st in yards and 26th in points allowed. It could be a make-or-break year for coach Matt Patricia, who is 9-22-1 in his two seasons, especially since he is a defensive-minded coach who has watched his team struggle on that side of the ball.

The Lions drafted cornerback Jeff Okudah out of Ohio State with the No. 3 overall pick to help shore up a secondary that allowed the second-most yards to wide receivers.

“I watch the Lions play defense and at times I’d be impressed with them and other times they’d break down and do silly things, especially with their front,” Salmons said. “They just need to be an average defense. With Patricia, that’s his side of the ball, so I see no reason they can’t be an average defense.”

Contact Jason Orts at jorts@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2936. Follow @SportsWithOrts on Twitter.