Detroit Lions vs San Francisco 49ers 9/12/21 NFL Picks, Odds, Predictions

The Detroit Lions meet the San Francisco 49ers in week 1 NFL action from Ford Field on Sunday afternoon in Pontiac.

The San Francisco 49ers will try to rebound from an injury-plagued 2020 that saw the Niners finish at 6-10, missing the postseason. The poor record left San Francisco drafting #3, and many wondered if the Niners would select a QB to battle Jimmy G for the starting role and Trey Lance was selected, answering those questions. The Niners also added to a stacked running back group featuring Raheem Mostert with a pair of explosive rookies in Trey Sermon from Oklahoma as well as Elijah Mitchell from Louisiana. Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle will be the mainstays in the 49ers’ receiving group while Dee Ford, Javon Kinlaw, Fred Warner and others make up an imposing defensive unit for San Francisco this season.

The Detroit Lions have a list of goals to complete under head coach Dan Campbell, such as improving on a 5-11 mark from 2020, winning their first division title since 1993, or at least making the postseason for the first time since 2016, and it’ll have to be done without Matthew Stafford for the first time since 2008 as he was shipped out in exchange for his replacement, Jared Goff and three draft picks back in January. The Lions used the draft to protect their new pivot, selecting Penei Sewell out of Oregon at 7^th overall. D’Andre Swift will lead the running backs while there isn’t a whole lot to write home about in terms of receivers with Turell Williams and rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown as well as tight end T.J. Hockenson being the main names thrown around in that offense. Michael Brockers and Nick Williams make up a formidable pass rush pair for Detroit while Jamie Collins, as well as Julian and Romeo Okwara each come into the linebacking crew and Tracy Walker and Jeff Okudah make up a nice pair of weapons in Detroit’s secondary as well this season.

San Francisco is 7-3 in their last 10 week 1 matchups and 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games in September while the under is 7-0 in their last 7 week 1 matchups. Detroit is 7-3 ATS in their last 10 Stepember games and 5-11 ATS in their last 16 games played on turf while the over is 6-2 in their last 8 games as an underdog.

I get the allure of a home underdog, but the Detroit Lions did little for me in the preseason and aren’t going to do anything for me here. The 49ers had a bad record by their standards last year, but they were decimated with injuries and now look like a completely different team. There are two solid options at QB, which is not something Detroit can say if we’re being honest, and top to bottom I simply trust the Niners which is also something I can’t say for Detroit. I know week 1 isn’t the ideal spot to lay a TD on the road, but the Lions give me no choice. Give me San Fran here.