Falcons at the Lion, NFL football Betting Pick and Preview.
Atlanta @ Detroit nfl betting Pick and Preview
The Falcons must have thought a lot of wide receiver Roddy White, who finished 2008 with 88 receptions for 1,382 yards and 7 touchdowns. Those numbers were a slight improvement from his 2007 performance, which showed Atlanta’s front office that White was a model of consistency. White’s recent contract, six years for $50 million, makes him the second highest paid wide out in the league, well worth it to the Falcons, who need a bona fide receiving option for second year quarterback Matt Ryan. Atlanta (11-5, 9-7 AGAINST THE SPREAD) returns running back Michael Turner, who enjoyed a terrific 2008 campaign as well, and adds future Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, giving Ryan even more pass receiving targets. Things are finally coming together for the Falcons.
Detroit made slight upgrades at several positions in the off season, most importantly at quarterback with top overall draft pick Matthew Stafford. Stafford will compete for the starting job with veteran Daunte Culpepper, and whoever wins the job will have a fantastic receiving option in Calvin “Megatron” Johnson. Still, no matter how many upgrades the Lions made, it will be tough to become a playoff contender overnight. Detroit does have a fairly weak schedule and an established running game behind second year running back Kevin Smith and new addition Maurice Morris (Seattle), who should provide some depth at the position.
Atlanta travels to Detroit, who became the first team in NFL history to finish 0-16 (7-9 AGAINST THE SPREAD) last season. Despite not winning a game in all of 2008, the Lions are a 3 point favorite, perhaps the sports books way of saying that they believe in Stafford’s abilities. The preseason will be a critical time for Detroit to sort out its quarterback situation for Week 1.
Take the Lions -3 for our NFL football betting pick.
