With regards to scheduling, maybe the Detroit Lions just are unlucky. 1st, they end their regular season vs their division rival Packers, who furthermore possess the league’s greatest record. Then they follow that up by pulling the New orleans saints in the first round of the playoffs.

Bet on sports

The Jan 7 – Detroit Lions versus New orleans saints game will be the 2nd meeting of the two squads this year. New Orleans won the first meeting in New Orleans 31-17. This is maybe part of the reason New Orleans is a 10.5 point fave to defeat Detroit this week.

College football odds

Another is that the Saints are on a roll. They’ve won eight matches in a row coming into this week’s game with Detroit, beating three other playoff squads during that stretch. Detroit managed to pull things together following defensive celebrity Ndamukong Suh was suspended for two matches following kicking an rival player with his cleats. They won 3 from their last 4 matches of the year, only losing a tight game to 15-1 Green Bay. When they last played New Orleans, they were without Suh, and Detroit is hoping the return of his presence to the defensive line is going to be the change they have to stop Drew Brees and the powerful New Orleans offense.

Regrettably for Detroit, that Saints offense has been amazing for the 2nd half of the year. They’ve gone over 40 in 4 of their last 6 and landed more than 40 points in their last three matches. They are 8-0 in their home stadium this year and earlier this year in New Orleans they slipped 62 points on Indianapolis.

Detroit has struggled this year vs higher quality competition, going 1-5 vs playoff squads (only beating Denver). Their offense has the possibility to be high-flying, and thus it will be up to their defense to ensure they are in this match. If Suh will probably make amends for his two-game suspension, now is the time.