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Detroit Lions at New Orleans Saints NFL Picks & Betting Odds

The Detroit Lions laid an egg in the 2008 NFL season, becoming the first team to finished 0-16 since the NFL switched to a 16-game regular season schedule. They’ll head down south to the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to take on the Saints in an NFC showdown. While New Orleans unquestionably has the more talented team, it has been marred by slow starts the last two seasons. The Saints did put a hurting on Detroit a year ago to the tune of a 42-7 victory in Week 16. That win was just the first for New Orleans in the last four meetings though, and the all-time series is tied at 9-9-1. NFL odds makers are expecting New Orleans to take care of business against the Lions in Week 1, listing the Saints as 13-point favorites with the total set at 49.

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The big news in Sunday’s matchup is that No. 1 overall draft pick Matthew Stafford will be getting the season-opening start. With veteran QB Daunte Culpepper on board, early speculation was that the Lions would bring Stafford along slowly. However, head coach Jim Schwartz believed Stafford showed well enough to win the starting job and he likes the chemistry his rookie signal caller has developed with star wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Still, Stafford was far from a star in the preseason. The Lions may have went 3-1 while their starters got more minutes than those on the opposition, but Stafford threw only one touchdown strike against four interceptions. The Saints have struggled on the defensive side of the football the last two seasons in trying to get back on top the NFC South, but new defensive coordinator Gregg Williams has vowed a very aggressive approach. My best advice to Stafford is to get ready and sling the rock with confidence when the blitz comes. While the Lions have been one of the worst teams in the NFL in recent history that doesn’t mean they are a bad team to bet on. In fact, the Lions are 6-0 against the spread in their last 6 games as a road underdog and 13-3 against the spread in their last 16 games as a road underdog of 10.5 or more points. If you think Detroit will be a worthy dog in Week 1, bet the Lions at +13.

The Detroit defense allowed 30 or more points in 11 of 16 games in 2008 and they will face a Saints team which led the league in total offense last season. The secondary figures to be better than it was a season ago when it only intercepted one pass, but it will be tested early and often against a confident New Orleans passing attack led by Drew Brees. The player I’m most interested in watching for New Orleans is Reggie Bush. Bush was expected to take the NFL by storm after starring at USC, but he has been slowed by knee injuries each of the last two seasons. He is one of the most exciting players in the NFL when he has the football in his hands, but he is going to have to show some durability. If you like New Orleans to blow out Detroit a second straight season, bet the Saints at -13 at BetUS.

Make sure you start off the 2009 NFL season in the black with playing Jimmy Boyd’s expert football picks in Week 1.

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