Detroit Lions Predictions & 2008 NFL Betting Picks
July 2, 2008
Rod Martinelli heads into his third season as head coach of the Detroit Lions having placed a signature stamp on the franchise. Martinelli a Tampa Bay Buccaneers transplant has the roster with only 13 players from the team he inherited 3 years ago. The Lions were an erratic NFL betting play last season starting on fire 6-2 SU only to crash 1-7 SU in their last 8 games. The Lions were a money burning 6-9-1 ATS thanks party to 4 games they got blown out in. This season the Lions have cleaned up and upgraded a horrendous secondary. The Lions have an emerging superstar in linebacker Ernie Sims that give Lions fans hopes even though the franchise is a perennial disappointment. The Detroit Lions are at long 65-1 NFL betting odds to win the 2009 Super Bowl.
2008 Detroit Lions NFL Betting Preview Projected Order Of Finish: t-2nd in NFC North
The offense will have a new look with pass-happy, stats driven offensive coordinator Mike Martz released. New offensive coordinator Jim Colleto will run a more balanced attack with an emphasis on more power running. Since Colleto arrived he has also stated that starting QB Jon Kitna will be given some competition by last year’s second round pick Drew Stanton. Kitna threw for 4,000 yards for the second straight season but he is 36 years old and he l turns over the ball too much. The Lions dealt starting RB Kevin Jones and they could possibly suffer a drop off in production. Third-round draft pick Kevin Smith has been brought in to replace Jones, but Smith might not be as good. Smith was a star in college but he has a thin body and only average speed. Smith has the one-cut style needed for the Lions zone blocking scheme however so he could be solid. The offensive line has allowed an alarming 117 sacks over the past two seasons and a first-round pick was used on long armed right tackle Gosder Cherilus. Cherilus is a strong and athletic competitor that plays with a nasty streak and he should improve a leaky O-line.
Rod Martinelli known as a defensive minded coach but his defense ranked dead last in the NFL last season. One thing Marinelli does have is a 24 year-old Linebacker in Ernie Sims that could make the pro-bowl for the better part of the next decade.
At 6′0″ 230 Lbs possessing 4.3 speed Sims is a freak that makes plays sideline-to-sideline for 60 minutes per game. Next to Sims last year wasn’t much and the Lions addressed the situation with more than half new starters this year. Talented but inconsistent, run stuffing tackle Shaun Rodgers is gone. The Lions have a stud in defensive tackle Cory Redding who could be better. Redding is an insanely strong beast that is poised for a breakout year with more help around him. The D-Line added Nose tackle Chuck Darby who is a hard worker in the middle to replace Rodgers and will count on defensive end Dewayne White to provide a pass-rush off the edge. White is explosive off the snap and has the speed and athleticism to be a special rusher. Where White struggles is against the run in short yardage situations where he must improve. The defensive line has great depth this year with young talent.
The Lions made a draft day steal when they landed speedy tackling machine Jordon Dizon in the second round. At 6′0″ 225 Dizon is in the mold of Sims with his intensity, passion and hitting ability. The secondary has received a shot in the arm with the infusion of Tampa-2 styled players. The new starting cornerback tandem Leigh Bodden and Brian Kelly should be good. Young strong safety Daniel Bullocks has great upside with his instincts and tackling ability in run support. Bullocks has leadership qualities and range and could have a breakout year. Free safety will be manned by solid coverman and Tampa-2 specialist Dwight Smith. The secondary has plenty of young talent and speed to be much improved. The special teams have two strong legs in the ageless Jason Hanson punter in Nick Harris. Harris is a legit field position weapon and he could help an improving defense. The coverage units are fair and Hanson has lost a little skill but this a solid group. The season win TOTAL for the 2008 Detroit Lions is 6.5 wins with the OVER at -125.
The 2008 Detroit Lions should be better in Rod Marinelli’s third year with a team full of hard workers and smart players. The Lions beat themselves a lot last season but Marinelli is hoping that scrapping Mike Martz’s exotic and confusing offensive scheme will help. Jon Kitna is a good leader and wideouts Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams will be hard for any team to contain for a whole game. A playoff run is a little far fetched still but with Brett Favre out of Green Bay, the NFC North division is wide open. The Lions have the right attitude and new personnel will finally improve this team. Expect a .500 season for the Lions with some surprise wins sprinkled in throughout the season. The 2008 Detroit Lions NFL Betting odds to win the division are Detroit +600.
2008 Detroit Lions NFL Betting Power Ratings
2008 Detroit Lions NFL Betting ATS Record: 6-9-1
1-10 Scale
Coaching: 6
Quarterback: 6
Running Back: 5
Offensive Line: 5
Receivers: 8
Defensive Line: 6
Linebackers: 6
Defensive Backs: 7
Special Teams: 7
Overall: 76
Related News
- NFC North Predictions 2008
- Odds Win NFC North
- 2007 Lions Predictions
- Packers vs. Lions Picks
- 2007 NFC North Predictions
- Week8 NFL Predictions
- 2008 World Series Predictions
- Week13 NFL Predictions
- Week15 NFL Predictions
- Week17 NFL Predictions
Latest Headlines
- Free NCAA Basketball Pick for January 6, 2009
- Free NBA Pick for January 9, 2009
- Free NBA Pick for January 4, 2009
- Free College Basketball Pick for January 3, 2009
- Free NCAA Basketball Pick for January 2, 2009
- Free NCAA Basketball Pick for December 31, 2008
- Free NBA Pick for December 30, 2008
- Free NBA Pick for December 29, 2008
- Free NBA Pick for December 27, 2008
- Free NBA Pick for December 26, 2008