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National predictions can't decide between Detroit Lions and L.A. Rams either
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- National predictions can't decide between Detroit Lions and L.A. Rams either
Will the Detroit Lions get it done? Will they be able to shake the (allegedly) cursed history of the franchise and win a playoff game for the first time since Jan. 5, 1992?
Those are the questions swirling as the Lions prepare for their first playoff game since January 2017 and host a playoff game for the first time since 1994. To break their streak of nine straight postseason losses , they will have to go through the Los Angeles Rams and former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford .
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The Lions controlled the NFC North throughout the season and won three of their final four games for a 12-5 record and their first division crown since the 1993 season. On the other side, the Rams rallied to win seven of eight games to close the season after starting 3-6, securing the second wild-card spot in the NFC.
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, left, and Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford during the coin flip before the start of the game at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 24, 2021 in Inglewood, Calif.
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It will be a matchup of two of the best offenses in the NFL. The Lions finished the regular season third in total offense (394.8 yards per game) and fifth in scoring (27.1 points per game) behind a balanced blend of the power run game featuring the David Montgomery-Jahmyr Gibbs duo and play-action calls frequently targeting All-Pro pass catchers in Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta . The Rams have had a similar offensive blend, with a strong running game powered by second-year back Kyren Williams to go along with Stafford slinging it all over the yard, primarily targeting receivers Cooper Kupp and rookie Puka Nacua .
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The Lions are three-point favorites to snap their playoff drought, according to BetMGM. Here is a breakdown of how some national pundits are predicting the game.
USA TODAY: Three of five picks for the Lions
USAToday had five NFL writers give their prediction on the game, with three writers predicting a Lions win and two siding with the Rams. All five writers predicted it would be a one-score game, no matter who wins. Safid Deen predicted the widest margin with a 30-23 Lions victory and wrote "Matt Stafford's return to Detroit makes this matchup intriguing but the Lions will make it a rude homecoming for him. Dan Campbell's crew has been waiting for this moment all season, and the Rams won't know what hit them on Sunday night."
ESPN: Slight edge to Lions
ESPN had two writers, Seth Walder and Eric Moody, give predictions on how they think every NFL wild-card game will shake out throughout the weekend. Moody predicted a 28-24 Rams win while Walder predicted a 24-20 Lions victory. ESPN's FPI metric gives the Lions a 53.9% chance to win, which leads to a margin of 1.4 points, according to their numbers.
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SportsCenter anchor Scott Van Pelt also backed the Lions and said they would cover the three-point spread.
"Also keep hearing the Rams are dangerous — and I agree," Van Pelt wrote. "(Matthew) Stafford gives them a big-time chance to make a run. But we are rocking Honolulu blue and laying them with Detroit in this one."
CBS Sports: Rams in a sweep
The CBS Sports crew gave their picks against the spread, and every person chose the Rams' with the points for the Sunday night matchup. In another article, a CBS writer predicted a 41-35 Rams win in overtime .
"The Lions are better on paper, but they've struggled at home," Jordan Dajani wrote. "Detroit fans certainly want to forget what happened on Thanksgiving. I lean towards Stafford and the Rams in an upset."
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NFL.com: Three of five picks for the Lions
NFL.com had five writers predict the outcome of every wild-card game and they were nearly evenly split between the Lions and Rams, slightly favoring Detroit. All predicted a one-score game. Gennaro Filice predicted a 31-27 Rams win, citing the Lions' pass defense against the Rams passing offense.
San Francisco 49ers assistant coach Anthony Lynn, left, talks with Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford after the regular season finale in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024.
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Sporting News: Lions
Bill Bender of the Sporting News predicted a nail-biting 28-24 win for the Lions after quickly going through the similarities of the two teams.
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The Athletic: Lions
The Athletic columnist Vic Tafur is backing the Lions and argued that Goff 's home record and continuing to play starters in Week 18 could be the difference.
"We think Jared Goff is very good at home and he will get some revenge against Sean McVay and his former team," Tafur wrote.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions predictions: National picks split between Lions and Rams
