Detroit Lions at Carolina Panthers NFL Betting Odds & Picks

The 7-2 Panthers are looking to get to 6-0 at home this season when they take on a Detroit Lions team that is still searching for its first win of the year. Detroit got dangerously close to a win two weeks ago at Chicago but it was same ole, same ole last Sunday, getting blown out by a Jacksonville team which did not want to fall victim to winless teams in back-to-back weeks. Strong home play has the Panthers listed as 14-point favorites with the total set at 40.

The passing numbers of veteran QB Jake Delhomme are far from spectacular, but nevertheless, he has led his team to the top of the NFC South. Last week’s performance against the Raiders was a disaster. The Panthers were able to pick up a win despite Delhomme completing only seven of his 27 passes for 72 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions against a bad Oakland defense. Delhomme returns this season from elbow surgery and has proved to be an integral part of Carolina’s success as the Panthers really struggled without him last year. hrough the first eight games this season, Delhomme was passed for 1,781 yards, nine touchdowns and only five interceptions while engineering three comeback wins during the Panthers’ 6-2 start. Considering how comfortable he looked in those eight games, I never saw last week’s performance coming and neither did he. In fact, his performance was so bad that it was only the second time since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 that a quarterback completed less than 30 percent of his passes and threw four interceptions in a win. Ironically enough, Cincinnati’s Ken Anderson went 4-for-19 with four interceptions in a 14-10 victory also over the Raiders in 1975. Carolina strong running game helped to bail out Delhomme as DeAngelo Williams rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Carolina will go for its fourth straight win this week, something it has not accomplished since 2006. Delhomme also got some help from the defense, which held the Raiders to just 259 total yards and forced three turnovers in the Panthers’ first game since they allowed a season-high 425 yards in a 27-23 win over Arizona Oct. 26. If you like Carolina to pick up another victory and cover the steep 14-point spread in the process, bet the Panthers at -14.

Detroit’s defense is going to have to rise to the challenge if the Lions hope to be competitive this week. Detroit is giving up 406.1 total yards per game, including 244.9 in the air – the second-and fourth-worst marks in the NFL respectively. The Lions lost their first nine games by an average 14 ppg for their longest season opening losing streak since they started 0-12 in 2001. Detroit has shown signs of improvement, losing their previous four games by an average of 5.3 points before getting spanked by the Jaguars last Sunday. QB Daunte Culpepper made his season debut after coming out of retirement to sign a two-year deal with Detroit. He was 5 of 10 for 104 yards with no touchdowns and an interception. Culpepper has not been able to regain the form he had in Minnesota in stints with Oakland and Miami, but the Lions feels there still might be a little life left in him. If you think odds makers are giving Detroit too many points, bet the Lions at +14 at Bookmaker.

Editor’s Note: Expert NFL betting advisor Jimmy Boyd has a play on this matchup in his Week 11 Sunday NFL picks package. Beat the NFL odds this week with Jimmy’s seven Sunday sides, including his 5* NFL Underdog Shocker of the Year.

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