The Detroit Lions host their first Monday Night Football game in five years tonight when they entertain the Las Vegas Raiders. If someone was operating off the history of these two teams they might be surprised to learn that the Lions are favored by a touchdown over the Raiders.

The public isn’t surprised by this, they are backing the Lions and giving the points in numbers that at some establishments have reached 90%.

Ninety percent of the public are taking the Lions over the Raiders giving a touchdown?

What is going on here?

Well, Detroit, who closed out their 2022 season with eight wins over their final ten games and just missed a postseason date after eliminating the Green Bay Packers on the final day of the regular season with a win at Lambeau Field, have continued on their march this year. Detroit is atop the NFC North Division in a season that began with an upset win at Arrowhead Stadium over the defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

The Lions rise to the top of the standings includes four consecutive wins sandwiched between a home upset loss to the Seattle Seahawks in second week action and a clock-cleaning defeat last Sunday in Baltimore to the Ravens, 38-6.

Detroit’s success in great part is due to the trade they made with the Los Angeles Rams two years ago. The Lions sent their starting quarterback, Matthew Stafford, to the Rams in exchange for Los Angeles’ starting quarterback, Jared Goff, and three draft picks, a pair of first rounders and a third round selection.

This is one of those trades that worked to the benefit of both teams. The Rams got the quarterback they determined was necessary to win a Super Bowl, they had lost one three years earlier to the New England Patriots with Goff running their offense, and the Lions bolstered their prospects for a bright future. The Rams got their Super Bowl win in Stafford’s first year with the team, downing the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, and the Lions are reaping the rewards from the trade now.

Goff has developed into a proficient quarterback that seems to possess talent capable of winning it all. The draft choices, along with years of disappointing finishes by Detroit, has stockpiled Dan Campbell’s team with a talented roster gained through the draft.

So, take the Lions tonight and laugh all the way to the bank?

Not necessarily.

While the Lions 32 point loss last week In Baltimore could be viewed as a reason for them to rebound tonight, the Raiders simply don’t generate the kind of fear of competition necessary for a team’s quick turnaround.

The Raiders are a middle team, maybe even a bit below the middle. After the Buffalo Bills blew their halftime lead and the game to the New York Jets in first week action, they hammered the Raiders on their visit to Highmark Stadium, 38-10. Last week, after a narrow close win over the New England Patriots, the Raiders became one of only two teams to lose against the Chicago Bears this season. Before Chicago got clobbered in Los Angeles last night, they ran roughshod over the Silver and Black at Soldier Field, 30-12.

There is a long string of bettors lining up to wager on the Lions tonight, I suggest you align with the small group of people backing Las Vegas with the points.

Qoxhi Picks: Las Vegas Raiders (+7) over Detroit Lions