Lions vs. Rams Week 7 Picks: Goff's Return Doesn't End Well

Sportsbook Review

Last Updated: October 23, 2021 7:48 AM EDT • 2 min 6 sec read. Twitter link Google News Link

Jared Goff makes his return to Los Angeles as a massive underdog for this Week 7 matchup. We're siding with L.A., despite the 15.5-point spread, in our Rams and Lions picks.

The Detroit Lions have lost 10 straight games dating back to 2020 and enter Sunday's contest against the Los Angeles Rams with a 1-6 mark against the spread in their last seven road games. They've also seen the Under hit in four of their last five.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, has covered in six of its last nine battles and has gone Over in six of its last eight. The Rams have a huge spread to cover in this one, though, as they are 15.5 favorites for quarterback Jared Goff's return to Los Angeles.

Here are my picks and predictions for the NFL Week 7 matchup between the Lions and Rams (odds via BetMGM),

Lions vs. Rams Week 7 Game Info

Date/Time: Sunday, October 24, 4:05 p.m. ETTV: FOXLocation: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CAWeather: 68 degrees, partially cloudy

Lions vs. Rams Odds

This line opened at Rams -13.5 and has continued to swell. This is a ton of points, and the Lions have already been double-digit underdogs twice this year. They covered once as 10-point dogs to Minnesota and are the preferred pick, according to the SBR consensus.

The Rams covered as 9.5-point favorites in their season opener against Chicago but have since been receiving more reasonable lines. They've covered three of their last four spreads.

Lions vs. Rams Picks

Los Angeles -15.5 (-110)Under 50.5 (-110)

Lions vs. Rams Predictions

Los Angeles -15.5 (-110)

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Lions' Goff face their former franchises this week in a predictable situation. The Rams are loaded with a great coaching staff and surrounding cast, so Stafford's inclusion into the unit was a guaranteed success.

The shocking part for the Rams is how pass-heavy they've become. The Rams used to rely on the run but now rank as the fourth-best passing attack, with Stafford enjoying a career season with Sean McVay and his new situation.

Goff, meanwhile, has struggled mightily in a much more dire situation in Detroit. His completion rate is impressive but everything is a short throw. Some of that is Goff's continued retreat into a conservative shell and some of it is a relatively unskilled set of receivers.

This all points toward the Rams being able to score more easily. The Lions labor to score once or twice, whereas the Rams can pile on points in a hurry.

Detroit's defense won't keep the Rams close enough for this Week 7 matchup to be much of a contest.

https://twitter.com/SBRSportsPicks/status/1451322430639599637

Under 50.5 (-110)

Much of the same reasoning applies to the Over/Under as it does with the spread. Detroit doesn't score easily and the Rams have a strong defensive unit. We'd be looking at either a huge Rams blowout, like 42-10, or an unexpected and unprecedented game from the Lions.

There's no reason to think the Lions can put up 28 points and push this Over.

This is one of my safest plays of the week. Los Angeles will get up multiple scores and settle in the second half as it nurses some injured stars. The Lions' lack of playmaking and offensive upside will be a continued theme for them against better foes.