The Detroit Lions and Atlanta Falcons meet Friday in NFL preseason action at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Here’s a Falcons vs Lions Prediction. This article will include a Falcons vs Lions Pick.
Detroit Lions Betting Preview
The Lions lost the Hall of Fame Game to the Chargers by a score of 34-7. The Lions turned the ball over 5 times in the loss and produced less than 200 yards of offense. The Lions were held scoreless in three of the four quarters. The Lions have now split their last 10 preseason games.
In the losing effort, Kyle Allen threw for 91 yards and two interceptions, while Hendon Hooker had 18 passing yards and 1 interception. The Lions rushed for 93 yards, while Craig Reynolds had 38 yards and 1 touchdown. Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett combined for 77 yards on 7 catches, while Reynolds had 1 reception. Defensively, Ezekiel Turner led the Lions with 7 tackles, Grant Stuard had 1 sack and Tyson Russell had 1 pass deflection.
Atlanta Falcons Betting Preview
The Atlanta Falcons won eight games last year but are still looking for their first playoff berth since the 2017 season. Raheem Morris enters his third year with the Falcons and has a 38.2 winning percentage through five seasons.
Offensively, the Falcons have a chance to be explosive with a trio of quarterback Michael Penix Jr, running back Bijan Robinson and wide receiver Drake London. All young players with high upside, and things look even better if tight end Kyle Pitts starts to show consistency. Even with the loss of Drew Dalman, the Falcons offensive line is one of the best in the league.
Defensively, the Falcons were terrible last year, which leads to a change at offensive coordinator in Jeff Ulbrich. The Falcons invested heavily in the draft by snagging James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker. Jessie Bates III is one of the best safeties in the league, but there are questions with the rest of the secondary. The Falcons have a chance to push toward double-digit wins if this side of the ball takes a step forward.
Lions vs Falcons Prediction
There’s value with the Lions having a game under their belt and being able to knock off the rust. However, I’m not sure how they’re this big of a favorite after what we saw in Canton. The Lions were sloppy on both sides of the ball. As I’ve said many times already, I’m focused on quarterback depth in preseason games. The Lions don’t do it for me. The Falcons have a veteran in Kirk Cousins, while Easton Stick and Emory Jones were talented players in college and can make plays. I’m also not a fan of laying more than three points in a preseason game. The hook could be key here. Give me the Falcons.