Don’t tell the Washington Redskins they aren’t the class of the NFC East. Competing in a division that has turned things around in 2016 and is likely the toughest in the NFL, the Skins aren’t ready to relinquish their division crown to anyone just yet. The only division team with a winning record last season, Washington has regrouped following a tough start to rattle off four straight wins. To get a fifth, Washington will have to knock off the Detroit Lions on the road in Week 7.
Watch this regular season Week 7 matchup live on Sunday, October 23, 2016, at 1 p.m. ET at Ford Field.
NFL Odds at BookMaker.eu
Washington Redskins +1
Detroit Lions -1
Over/Under 49
Odds Analysis
The home team Lions opened at -1 and the early wagering has been spread evenly. Detroit is 2-0 SU and ATS in the first two games of its three-game home stand, however their defense continues to have problems stopping opponents. Washington has covered in all four games during its straight up win streak with two of those coming on the road. Both teams have been good plays on the over and the total has come down two points to its current 49. There is plenty of value on the over as long as the total doesn’t spike any higher.
Injury Report
Jordan Reed – Washington’s tight end missed the last game in the league’s concussion protocol. The team leader in receptions is also a threat in the red zone and his absence will hurt the Redskins against a team that has trouble defending tight ends and is the worst in opponents red zone efficiency.
Travis Swanson – The Lions starting center left Sunday’s game with a hand injury after the Rams attempted to knock the ball out of his hand on a kneel down in the final seconds. The injury was to his right snapping hand and could affect his ability to handle snaps properly if the injury is indeed serious.
Key Stat
With very little help from their defense, the Lions are still in the mix with a .500 record through six weeks. Throughout the first month and a half of the season, the Lions looked like a team trying to figure things out on that side of the football. A rash of injuries that kept Ezekiel Ansah out of the lineup and has sidelined DeAndre Levy haven’t helped, but the Lions have struggled to generate a consistent pass rush, and more times than not have allowed teams to score touchdowns rather than field goals.
Against the Rams on Sunday, the Lions allowed three touchdowns in four red zone trips and they’ve given up 16 touchdowns on 20 opponent visits inside their 20-yard line. Opponents are scoring on 80 percent of their trips inside the Lions 20, easily the worst percentage in the league. The number could have been worse, but L.A.’s first touchdown came on a 20-yard pass, so not technically in the red zone.
Free ATS Pick
Without Reed in the lineup, the Redskins employed more double tight end sets and used three receivers on other occasions against the Eagles. The running game found some traction behind Matt Jones and churned out a season-high 230 yards. If the Redskins can continue that, they’ll be difficult to stop. Taking the pressure off Kirk Cousins makes him a more efficient quarterback and the Skins offense has the play-makers to score plenty of points. Cousins is much better when he elects to throw the football than when he has to.
Washington put a solid defensive effort together in shutting down Carson Wentz in their win over Philly and the secondary is getting players back. Detroit has a limited running game with Theo Riddick and Ameer Abdullah sidelined keeping them one-dimensional. The Lions have also allowed two average quarterbacks in Brian Hoyer and Case Keenum to rip them for over 300 yards passing in the past few weeks. I like the roll the Skins are on and getting points looks like the right pick.
NFL Odds: Redskins 27, Lions 23
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