Saturday Night Football: Can the Lions stay in the hunt for the 1 seed in the NFC?
are headed to AT&T Stadium to take on the
, in a Saturday night matchup. Both teams have already clinched a playoff position, however Dallas finds themselves only a game back from the struggling
and still have a chance to win the NFC East. Meanwhile the Lions, 49ers and Eagles all sit at 11-4 with a chance at the number one seed in the NFC.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Cowboys are currently favored over the Lions in this one. We have been using Tallysight to get our picks in each week, so sign up at Tallysight for submitting your own bets.
The Cowboys have faired much better at home, with a perfect 7-0 record, than on the road where they sit at 3-5. Since this game will be in Dallas, that would normally push me towards taking the Cowboys, however the Lions have been a formidable road team themselves, with a 6-2 record away from Detroit.
This game is a toss up, as both teams are playing well this season, however I just trust the Lions and Jared Goff more. Detroit, in my opinion, have more quality wins than Dallas, who did not beat a team with a winning record through the first 12 weeks of the season, and are coming off back-to-back losses to the
That’s not to discredit the Cowboys’ 10-5 record, however, I just think the Lions are a very physical, smash-mouth type team, and in the past Dallas has struggled with matchups like this (see the 42-10 beatdown at the hands of the 49ers for example). Detroit is also coming in on a two-game win streak, giving them some extra momentum heading into Saturday night.
The Cowboys just do not look like the same team playing contenders, which is why I am taking Detroit in this game to cover the spread and get the victory. With these two teams both having high-powered offenses, I am also taking the over in this one.
Vikings superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson was fined $13,659 by the NFL for making a “violent gesture” during his touchdown celebration against the Lions last weekend. Jefferson very briefly made a gun sign towards a camera (at the 28-second mark of the video below) with his right hand after catching a touchdown pass in the second quarter.
This one at least makes some sense based on the NFL’s strict policy against gun-related celebrations. Earlier this season, Jefferson was fined nearly $11K for making a “too little” gesture at a Panthers defensive back after a touchdown.
Jefferson is making $3.3 million this year in the fourth year of his rookie contract, but he’s due to make about ten times that on his upcoming second deal.
His performance against the Lions was one of the best of Jefferson’s illustrious career. His line — six catches for 141 yards and a touchdown — isn’t anything he hasn’t done before, but it was the way he got those yards that was so spectacular. There was the diving touchdown catch, another grab where he was rocked and still held onto the ball, and a spectacular grab over two defenders on the Vikings’ final drive. Right before that play, Jefferson sprinted to recover a Nick Mullens fumble that kept his team alive.
Despite missing seven games this season and parts of two others, Jefferson has 823 receiving yards, which puts 1K within reach over these final two games.
