The Las Vegas Raiders and host Detroit Lions will both be looking to erase sour tastes in their mouths when they meet Monday night to close out Week 8.
The Raiders are coming off a 30-12 loss to the Chicago Bears and rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent in his first career start, while the Lions were humbled 38-6 by the Baltimore Ravens last week.
QUICK PICK
The Lions are still 5-2 and have a chance to move into second place in the NFC with a win on Monday despite their lopsided defeat to the Ravens. The Raiders’ loss at Chicago was far more eye-opening, and Las Vegas enters the primetime road game with the NFL’s 28th-ranked offense, which will make going toe-to-toe with Detroit’s fourth-ranked unit a real challenge.
Prediction: Lions 27, Raiders 20
TRENDING
The line has held steady at Detroit -7.5 points at BetMGM, where the Lions have received lopsided spread-line action with 69 percent of the bets and 69 percent of the money. The moneyline action has been more even, with Detroit backed by 51 percent of the bets at +280 and Las Vegas drawing 81 percent of the money at -350.
The Over/Under has shifted from 44.5 points to 46.5 at the book, with the Under backed by 52 percent of the bets and the Over drawing 55 percent of the money.
PROP PICK
Raiders WR Davante Adams Anytime TD (+150): Adams has caught only three touchdowns this season after hauling in an NFL-best 14 during his first season with the Raiders in 2022. He hasn’t caught a scoring pass in the past four games while being limited to 75 or fewer receiving yards each time.
So while the most popular player prop at the book has been Adams at +1200 to score the game’s first touchdown, we’ll take the safer play at a lower payout for Adams to at least break his scoring drought against the league’s 23rd-ranked pass defense.
THE NEWS
Detroit heard nationwide-praise after taking control of its division with road wins over defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs as well as the Green Bay Packers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Lions’ visit to Baltimore turned into a debacle, though, as the Ravens rolled for touchdowns on their first four drives.
“We’ve got to bounce back, but we will,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We’ll be ready to go.”
Detroit played without power back David Montgomery last week due to a rib injury and will again vs. the Raiders. Rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft, amassed 126 total yards in Montgomery’s absence and scored the Lions’ lone touchdown.
“I saw an improving player,” Campbell said. “He took a step up and that’s all you can ask for — growth.”
Lions quarterback Jared Goff threw for 284 yards, but most of it came on short completions after the team fell way behind. He didn’t toss a touchdown pass for the first time this season.
Goff also was sacked a season-high five times. Now he will face a pass rush led by Maxx Crosby, who has 6 1/2 sacks to follow up his career-best 12 1/2 last season.
“What does he not do well? I would start there,” Campbell said of Crosby. “I don’t know what that would be. … He’s a master of his craft.”
The Raiders (3-4) were held to 235 yards of total offense by Chicago as they played without quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who was sidelined by a back injury. Garoppolo returned to practice on Thursday and is “good to go” for Monday, the team said.
Even with Garoppolo, the Las Vegas offense has stalled. The Raiders are averaging just 16 points per game, third worst in the NFL.
Asked if the play-calling needed to be more aggressive, Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels responded, “There’s definitely elements of that. You can point to a number of different things that we could do a little bit better. I don’t think we have to do everything different. I think we have to do a lot of little things a little bit better.”
Raiders quarterbacks have thrown four more interceptions (12) than touchdown passes (8). On Monday, Las Vegas will face a game-wrecking defensive lineman, Aidan Hutchinson, who has 4 1/2 sacks but none in the past two games.
“If you ever stop playing before the play is over,” McDaniels said, “that’s when he really makes a lot of plays.”
KEY STAT
Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, who led the league with 1,653 rushing yards last season while averaging 4.9 yards per carry, has been held to 347 rushing yards and 2.9 yards per carry this year.
INJURY REPORT
Montgomery was ruled out by the team Saturday along with guard Jonah Jackson (ankle). Center Frank Ragnow (toe, calf) is doubtful after sitting out practice all week. The Lions listed four players as questionable: defensive linemen Benito Jones (ankle) and Joshua Paschal (knee), linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle) and guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai (back).
Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson (groin) returned to limited practice by Saturday but is still a game-day decision, while linebacker Divine Deablo (ankle) has been ruled out.