The Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions have been two of the most buzzworthy teams in the NFL this offseason and the two franchises are both hoping to end their Super Bowl droughts in 2023. On Sunday, they'll go head-to-head with the Lions (1-1) hosting the Falcons (2-0) in what could be a crucial early-season matchup in the NFC. Atlanta has been powered by the No. 3 rushing attack in the NFL so far this season, while Detroit has been dynamic through the air, ranking second in the league in net adjusted yards per pass attempt.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET at Ford Field. Detroit is favored by 3 points in the latest Falcons vs. Lions odds, and the over/under for total points scored is 47. Before making any Lions vs. Falcons picks, you need to see the NFL predictions and betting advice from the computer simulation model at SportsLine.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up more than $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model enters Week 3 of the 2023 NFL season on an incredible 164-117 run on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season. It is also on an 18-9 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of last season.
The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94 percent of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone who has followed it is way up.
Now, the model has set its sights on Falcons vs. Lions and just locked in its picks and NFL Week 3 predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model's picks. Here are several NFL odds and betting lines for Lions vs. Falcons:
- Falcons vs. Lions spread: Lions -3
- Falcons vs. Lions over/under: 47 points
- Falcons vs. Lions money line: Lions -169, Falcons +145
- Falcons vs. Lions picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Falcons vs. Lions live stream: fubo (try for free)
Why the Falcons can cover
Falcons head coach Arthur Smith is a running-game guru and he's been able to use a three-headed monster of Bijan Robinson, Tyler Allgeier, and Desmond Ridder effectively over the first two weeks. Now they might be adding Swiss Army knife Cordarrelle Patterson to the mix to help create even further mismatches.
Robinson has averaged a staggering 6.2 yards per carry so far this season and has produced 255 scrimmage yards with a touchdown in his first two NFL games. Meanwhile, Allgeier and Ridder have combined for three rushing touchdowns while Patterson has produced nearly 2,000 scrimmage yards and 19 total touchdowns in the last two seasons. The Lions rank 28th in the NFL in points allowed this season. See which team to pick here.
Why the Lions can cover
Despite what they showed in their Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Lions remain one of the most talented teams in the NFL. Quarterback Jared Goff has resurrected his career in Detroit and played at a high level thus far in 2023. Through two games, Goff has completed 50 of 70 pass attempts for 576 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception. He enters Week 3 with a quarterback rating of 109.
Defensively, the Lions have been at their best when defending the run in 2023. Through two games, Detroit has allowed only 172 yards on the ground, which could bode well for them against an Atlanta offense that is heavily reliant on its rushing attack. See which team to pick here.
How to make Lions vs. Falcons picks
The model has simulated Falcons vs. Lions 10,000 times and the results are in. It is leaning Over on the point total, and it's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's Lions vs. Falcons pick at SportsLine.
So who wins Lions vs. Falcons on Sunday, and which side of the spread is hitting well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine right now to see which side of the Falcons vs. Lions spread you should be all over Sunday, all from the model on a 164-117 roll on its top-rated NFL picks, and find out.
