Lions vs Colts Predictions: Lions have their eyes on the prize

The Detroit Lions travel to Lucas Oil Stadium to face the Indianapolis Colts in an interconference clash of playoff contenders this Sunday (18:00, Sky Sports NFL). The Lions would earn a first-round bye in the playoffs if the season were to finish this week, but they cannot afford any slip-ups with the Philadelphia Eagles breathing down their necks for the NFC’s number one seeding.

The Colts kept their wild card hopes alive with a wild win over the New York Jets last Sunday as quarterback Anthony Richardson returned after a two-game benching. Indianapolis will need another good performance from Richardson and a big day from their defence if they are to stop the Lions from extending their eight-game win streak. Below are my Lions vs Colts predictions, alongside team news and match odds.

Team News

Lions quarterback Jared Goff delivered a historic performance in last Sunday’s 52-6 demolition of the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 24 of 29 passes for 412 yards and four touchdowns with a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

Amon-Ra St. Brown continued his stellar season, contributing to the dominant victory with 11 catches for 161 yards and two touchdowns while David Montgomery added two rushing scores, helping the Lions improve to 9-1.

The game wasn't without its challenges though as linebacker Alex Anzalone will miss six to eight weeks with a broken forearm.

Wide receiver Allen Robinson II and tight end Shane Zylstra left the game with concussion and neck injuries respectively while cornerback Carlton Davis played sparingly after breaking his left thumb in practice.

On the positive side, tight end Sam LaPorta is expected to return after missing last week's game with a shoulder injury.

NFL Odds

The Colts enter this matchup with significant offensive line issues. Starting guard Will Fries is out with a broken tibia, center Ryan Kelly is on IR with a knee injury, and left tackle Bernhard Raimann may miss the game due to a knee problem.

Lions vs Colts Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Lions vs Colts page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Lions -7.5 @ 20/21

The Lions were firing on all cylinders again last week as they scored on each of their first seven possessions against the Jaguars.

Detroit’s offence ranks first in the league in points per game and third in total yards going into Week 12 and it’s hard to see how the Colts’ defence can stop them.

Indianapolis are giving up almost 375 yards of offence per game on average, placing them among the NFL’s worst five defences.

Detroit’s blockers up front have been dominant, giving up just 18 sacks all season and paving the way for a rushing attack that averages 152.2 yards per game.

The NFC North leaders have covered the spread in seven of their last eight games and have shown they can dominate weaker opponents like Indy.

Detroit’s average margin of victory over this current eight-game streak is almost 20 points, so it seems likely that they can cover the handicap of just more than a touchdown on Sunday.

Over 50.5 Points @ 20/23

The Colts would be doing better with a settled offensive line and continuity in the quarterback position and while the former is unlikely to change in the short term, there is hope that Richardson’s display last week can be repeated.

He finished with 20 completions for 272 passing yards, one touchdown pass and no interceptions.

He more than made up for his two fumbles on the day by rushing for 32 yards and two touchdowns.

If Richardson gets in his groove, he can move the chains against a Lions’ defence that has not been fully tested in recent weeks and force the Lions to pile on the points too.

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