The Detroit Lions are again hitting the road, now off to Charlotte to oppose the Carolina Panthers. Detroit’s been arguably the hottest team in the NFL, making a late-season playoff push after a 1-6 start\.
The Panthers are doing the same, but their “run” is more in quicksand because the NFC South is a brutal outfit. However, their path to the postseason is about entirely gone with a loss here.
Which of these teams is the better option versus the NFL betting odds? Here’s a closer look.
Let’s check the latest NFL odds, stats, injury reports, and NFL lines for Lions vs Panthers. We’ve plenty of Vegas NFL odds and NFL week 16 picks for you to consider.
Lions vs Panthers Betting Lines
Lions in Playoffs?
After their 1-6 start to the season, few anticipated the Lions were going to be competitive. However, Jared Goff, Dan Campbell, and the coaching staff deserve a lot of credit, 7-7 Detroit having turned it around.
The Lions now field the NFL’s fifth-best (tied with Cincinnati) scoring offense (26.4 points/game). Plagued by turnovers last season (and seemingly forever), they are now a +4, sixth-best in NFL.
They have won six out of their last seven games to get to .500, keeping themselves in contention to make the postseason. Those who bet online know this team is not only winning, they’re getting better and gaining momentum each weekend.
Panthers No Wiggle Room
Carolina has had an inconsistent season to this point, firing a coach, changing quarterbacks multiple times, and trading away their star running back. However, there’s a genuine possibility of making it into the postseason.
They’re just a game behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with a game to play against them. However, no margin of error exists if the Panthers can somehow win this division.
Sam Darnold will be tasked with leading the way but needs more help in the backfield. They totaled just 21 rush yards (16 attempts) against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the loss last Sunday.
Lions vs Panthers Game Injuries
Lions vs Panthers Head to Head
The Panthers lead the series, 7-3. Their last meeting was in 2020, won by Carolina, 20-0.
Lions vs Panthers Game Information
- Game: Lions (7-7) vs Panthers (5-9)
- Day/Time: Sunday, Dec. 24th, 1:00 p.m. ET
- Location: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC
- How to watch Lions vs Panthers?: NFL Prime Video
Lions vs Panthers Live stream: NFL Game Pass
Lions vs Panthers Game Weather Conditions
Temperature is expected to be around 30 degrees and sunny in an open stadium.
Lions vs Panthers Picks & Prediction
Predicted Score: Lions 24, Panthers 17
- Worth the Moneyline?
The Lions are currently on an absolute tear right now in all phases of the game. Now, they draw a Panther team that’s not great, and struggles mightily when the running game can’t get going. The Lions are worth a play for your NFL picks.
- Worth the ATS?
The Lions are favored by 2½ points in the sportsbook, and that looks like a solid bet to make. Detroit is the better team here, even if they’re on the road.
- Worth the Totals?
Total is currently 44, making the under all the more enticing. It’s difficult to see Carolina contribute much to this number.
The Detroit Lions are listed at -145 in our Vegas NFL lines. This means that if you wager $100 on Lions, you have a chance to win $69. The Carolina Panthers are +125, offering a chance to win $125 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Detroit Lions a 59.18% chance to win, with Carolina Panthers at 44.44%.
The odds and predictions in the article are based on the time of writing and publication. They may differ as to when the actual event takes place.
