The Detroit Lions have not done well both against the NFL betting spreads and straight up in recent years.
But after a string of good draft picks put together by new GM Martin Mayhew, things seem to be looking up for the arguably the worst franchise in the NFL.
NFL betting fans will notice that the Lions' projected win total according to the odds hasn't grown much this year despite all the positive press the Lions have received this off-season, however, as the total for NFL futures is still set at just 5 wins.
Last season the Lions went just 2-14, however, so the total makes sense in that respect. They only managed to beat the Redskins and the Browns and they lost all their road games. But in an odd way, the season seemed like a bit of a step forward for the battered Detroit franchise.
Matthew Stafford showed signs of being the QB Detroit needs for the future and other players stepped up, especially the rookies. DeAndre Levy from the third round from Wisconsin became a leader at ILB/OLB, Louis Delmas might be the next young star at safety in the NFL with his speed from the second round out of Western Michigan, and Sammie Lee Hill was solid for a rookie from tiny Stillman College at DT. TE Brandon Pettigrew also became a solid player when he was healthy from Oklahoma State out of the first round.
This year brings more promising rookies in RB Jahvid Best from Cal along with Ndamukong Suh at DT from Nebraska with the 2 nd pick and others.
The Lions have about as much promising rookie-sophomore talent as any team. Learning to win will be the big key with this team, and that could be tough in such a hard division. But five wins is a conservative estimate this year for NFL betting fans with this team, who has surrounded Stafford with even more weapons in Nate Burleson, a great second option to Calvin Johnson at WR if healthy, and another former Western Michigan star in TE Tony Scheffler from Denver. Best will also provide a home run threat the Lions haven't had since Barry Sanders at RB.
Put it all together and the Lions have the potential to get way more than the NFL betting projection of five wins with a great chance of at least breaking even.
