Odds Lions Beat Titans in Week 8

Predicting Lions' odds to beat Titans in Week 8.

Oct 20, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) walks off the field after the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Lions are flying high going into their Week 8 matchup with the Tennessee Titans. 

The Lions sit at 5-1 and atop the NFC North standings after defeating the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7. Meanwhile, the Titans possess just one win (1-5) and sit in last place in the AFC South division after losing to the Buffalo Bills a week ago.

It's a tale of two teams headed into entirely different directions, and the stats certainly back up that statement.

Tennessee, for instance, has scored just 27 points the past two weeks, and is averaging 17.7 points per game on the season (the seventh-lowest mark in the league). The Titans, led by first-year head coach Brian Callahan, have also been outscored by their opponents, 144-106.

In stark contrast, Detroit has produced a total of 78 points the last two weeks, and is averaging 30.3 points per game (the third-highest mark in the NFL). The Lions, led by fourth-year head man Dan Campbell, have also outscored their opponents, 182-120. 

Furthermore, Detroit – even without Pro Bowl EDGE Aidan Hutchinson for the remainder of the season – is on the trajectory of making its first Super Bowl in franchise history. Meanwhile, Tennessee is in full rebuild mode, and has already begun to trade off key pieces, such as wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and linebacker Ernest Jones IV. 

With that being said, the Lions, unsurprisingly, are double-digit favorites (-11.5) going into their clash with their first AFC foe of the season.  

Yet, Campbell & Co. cannot afford to take the Titans lightly on Sunday. Tennessee has allowed the fewest total yards per game (272.2) and the least amount of first downs (94). Plus, it's permitted the third-fewest yards per game through the air (166.7) and the seventh-fewest yards per contest on the ground (105.5).

Campbell expressed to 97.1 The Ticket earlier this week that the Titans are better than their record shows.

“If all you're looking at is the record of this team we're getting ready to play, you're wrong. This is a fast-starting team. They've got a physical O-line and D-line. They've got damn good coaching. Big (Bill) Callahan is over there with that O-line, so they'll have a number of things greased up for us,” Campbell told 97.1 The Ticket's “Costa & Jansen with Heather.” "This defense could potentially be the best defense we've faced up to date. And I know we just faced a good one, but you talk about physical, this (interior defensive lineman Jeffery) Simmons, he's gonna bring it, among others. So, we've got a challenge this week.”

As big a challenge as facing the Titans’ defense may be, I believe the Lions have the significant upper-hand, especially at home and with veteran signal-caller Jared Goff under center. Goff is presently playing at an MVP-caliber level, with more touchdowns to his name (18) than incompletions (15) the last four games.

At this present juncture, I'm going to give Detroit an 82.5 percent chance to secure the Week 8 victory.