The NFL Week 17 schedule concludes with a pair of high-profile NFC teams on Monday Night Football. A rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game was expected to be a higher scoring affair, but situations have changed ahead of the Detroit Lions (13-2) at San Francisco 49ers (6-9) contest.
The Detroit Lions remain the NFC favorite to advance and win the Super Bowl, while the 49ers have missed the playoffs completely after starting the season as the favorite to return. But the Minnesota Vikings (14-2) win over Green Bay Sunday makes the Monday Night Football game essentially meaningless for the Lions. Win or lose, next Sunday Night Football’s Week 18 game between the Vikings and Lions is the biggest of the year in the NFC, and will decide the NFC North champion with the winner also securing the No. 1 seed and opening round bye in the playoffs. The Vikings-Lions loser will hit the road as the No. 5 seed, likely at Tampa Bay.
Live NFL Playoff Picture Projections
Player props are driving the watch and wager MNF action with the Lions to win a popular play along with their star players RB Jahmyr Gibbs and WR Amon-Ra St. Brown to hit their rushing and receiving yards projections. But caution ahead, regardless if coach Campbell says “We’re bringing everything we got to this game, I don’t care where it’s at. We’re going out to play and win this game on the West Coast.”
Monday Night Football Odds
Pro football odds from FanDuel Sportsbook refresh periodically and are subject to change, including on props and live betting. Bet types, odds and terms with listed point spreads on favorites.
- Detroit Lions (-3.5) at San Francisco 49ers, game total 50.5 points
How To Watch
- DET-SF: ABC and ESPN+ 8 p.m. ET
Fans across the U.S. will be tuning in for the watch and wager action, and many celebrating New Year’s Even in Vegas will be filling the biggest and best Las Vegas Sportsbooks.
Lions-49ers
The 49ers rank top-3 in the league in yards per play margin at +1.0 while the Lions at +0.5. The Lions offense is No. 3 in the league in EPA per play (0.154), but they’ll play without RB David Montgomery (knee) for the second straight game. Still, the Lions have star Jahmyr Gibbs to run and catch passes out of the backfield.
San Francisco traveled more miles than any team this season, and suffered more injuries than expected including to star RB Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers are also a home underdog for the first time in two years. So do the Lions come to play full throttle and want to make up for blowing last year’s NFC Championship Game to the Niners on this field? Do they show their full hand and repertoire with next Sunday’s game at home vs. the Vikings the one that really matters and returning home on a short week? I wouldn’t bet on it.
The 49ers are just 1-5 SU/ATS in their last six games and scored 17 points twice, 10 points twice and 6 points with 38 against the bad news Bears. But the Lions defense has been missing key personnel and the one player most concerning to the Lions and Detroit’s defensive coordinator is TE George Kittle. Detroit’s defense has allowed a league-worst 7.2 yards per play over their last three contests (49ers 4.7), and more than 410 yards per game to Chicago, Buffalo and Green Bay in three December games. The 49ers defense still ranks top 5 in the league allowing 304 yards per game and 5.1 yards per play overall.
I still prefer the 49ers plus the points and suggest following the players and game script for addtional watch and live wager opportunities.
Lions-49ers Player Props
Player props and Same Game Parlay odds and options from FanDuel Sportsbook.
- DET QB Jared Goff passing yards: Over/Under 250.5
- SF QB Brock Purdy passing yards: O/U 255.5, rushing 18.5
- DET RB Jahmyr Gibbs rushing yards: O/U 94.5, receiving 27.5
- SF RB Isaac Guerendo rushing yards: O/U 60.5, receiving 60.5
- DET WR AR St. Brown receiving yards: O/U 72.5, receptions 6.5
- DET WR Jameson Williams receiving yards: O/U 52.5, receptn 3.5
- DET WR Tim Patrick receiving yards: O/U 27.5
- DET TE Sam LaPorta receiving yards: O/U 44.5, receptions 4.5
- SF WR Jauan Jennings receiving yards: O/U 62.5, receptions 4.5
- SF WR Deebo Samuel receiving yards: O/U 48.5, receptions 4.5
- SF TE George Kittle receiving yards: O/U 62.5, receptions 5.5
Notable player prop adjustments: 49ers RB Guerendo’s rushing yards prop is down from 65.5 Sunday morning to 60.5 Monday morning. Niners TE Kittle receiving yards down from 66.5 to 62.5. Lions TE Sam LaPorta receiving yards is up 10+ yards and receptions up one.
Player Prop: A rare kicking prop, and bet 49ers kicker Jake Moody over 6.5 points.
Too bad fans in California can’t bet with U.S. sportsbooks.
The player prop picks posted on these NFL betting preview pages at Forbes have been scoring and cashing in Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 12, Week 13, Week 14, Week 15 and Week 16 plus Sunday Week 17 (1-1) with Vikings QB Sam Darnold sailing over his passing yards prop by 120 yards. .
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