Titans Seek to Extend Misery for Winless Lions

Football Betting Lines

11/26/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - An optimistic Lions fan might look at Thursday's game against the Tennessee Titans as an opportunity for the team to earn its initial triumph of the 2008 season before a network-television audience.

A pessimistic Detroit supporter, of which there have become many during the team's harrowing '08 campaign, might look at the tilt and see the distinct possibility of the Lions suffering their highest-profile embarrassment of the year.

At 0-11, the Lions are just one loss away from matching their worst start in team history, an 0-12 opening to the 2001 season. That Detroit team finished 2-14, but with five remaining games against the likes of the Titans (10-1), Vikings (6-5), Colts (7-4), Saints (6-5), and Packers (5-6), the notion of matching that showing seems far-fetched for Rod Marinelli's squad.

With a loss in their traditional Thanksgiving Day game, the Lions will join the '01 squad as well as the 1976 Buccaneers (0-14), 2007 Dolphins (0-13), 1986 Colts (0-13), 1962 Raiders (0-13 in the AFL) and 1977 Buccaeeners (0-12) as the only teams in the league to start a season 0-12 or worse.

That said, the Lions have been somewhat competitive in recent weeks, with five of the team's last seven losses coming by nine points or fewer.

Last Sunday, Detroit opened up an early 17-0 lead on Tampa Bay before allowing 35 unanswered points in an eventual 38-20 loss.

Dating back to 2007, the Lions have now lost 18 of their last 19 games, with their only win over that stretch a 25-20 home victory over the equally inept Chiefs on Dec. 23 of last year.

To make matters worse for Marinelli and company, the opponent on Turkey Day has been one of the league's two best teams through the season's first 12 weeks, and will arrive at Ford Field angry after suffering its first loss of the year this past Sunday.

The Titans dropped a 34-13 home decision to the streaking Jets, eliminating the possibility of the league's second 16-0 regular season in as many years. Tennessee had previously won 13 consecutive regular season games dating back to last season.

One streak does remain intact for Tennessee on Thursday, as Jeff Fisher's squad has won seven consecutive regular season road games since falling at Cincinnati last Nov. 25th.

The Titans will be playing on Thanksgiving for the first time since Nov. 27, 1997, when they defeated the Cowboys, 27-14. The Titans/Oilers are 4-2 on the holiday all-time, including a 24-21 win at the Lions on Nov. 26, 1992.

Tennessee, which can clinch the AFC South with a win and a Colts loss on Sunday, will be trying to extend Detroit's Thanksgiving Day losing streak to five consecutive games. The Lions, who last won on Turkey Day in 2003 over the Packers, are 1-6 in their marquee game since 2001.

SERIES HISTORY

Tennessee is 6-3 all-time against Detroit, and has won the last two matchups in the series. The Titans were 24-19 home winners in the most recent meeting, in Week 17 of the 2004 season, and also prevailed in their last trip to Detroit, a 27-24 result in 2001. The Lions' last win in the series came in 1995 against the then-Oilers in Houston, and they claimed their only home win in the series all-time in 1986.

Fisher is 2-1 in his career against the Lions, while Detroit's Marinelli will be meeting both Fisher and the Titans for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE TITANS HAVE THE BALL

Establishing the NFL's ninth-rated running game (124.7 yards per game) will be job number one for the Titans on Thursday afternoon. Tennessee struggled to get that aspect of its offense going against the Jets last week, as the two- headed monster of speedy Chris Johnson (833 rushing yards, 33 receptions, 6 TD) and burly LenDale White (469 rushing yards, 11 TD) combined for just 45 yards on 11 carries. Following the game, in which White received just one carry, the former USC star complained publicly about his lack of touches. Both backs should play an integral part in Thursday's game plan, which will reduce the burden on quarterback Kerry Collins (1998 passing yards, 9 TD, 4 INT) and the passing attack. Collins was 21-of-39 passing for 243 yards and a touchdown against the Jets, though he struggled to move the team for much of the day. Five different players caught at least three balls in the loss, led by Justin McCareins (17 receptions) and Brandon Jones (33 receptions, 1 TD), who contributed four grabs each. Tight end Bo Scaife (47 receptions, 2 TD) continues to lead the team in receptions, and Justin Gage (22 receptions, 4 TD) has the most receiving yards (413) and touchdowns among wide receivers. The Titans o-line has surrendered just seven sacks all year.

The stats are bad for the Lions defense, and the injury report is even more dismal. A team that is last in NFL scoring defense (31.5 points per game) and rushing defense (166.7 yards per game), as well as 31st in total defense (388.7 yards per game), could be without four of its best run-stoppers on Thursday. Linebacker Ernie Sims (74 tackles) is regarded as doubtful with a knee problem, and defensive tackles Shaun Cody (elbow), Cory Redding (knee), and Chuck Darby (calf) are all questionable for the contest. Of those front seven members who will definitely play, linebackers Paris Lenon (71 tackles, 1 sack) and Ryan Nece (38 tackles, 1.5 sacks) are the most notable run-stoppers. The pass rush will also have to be on-point again after totaling six sacks against the Bucs last week, including two for end Corey Smith (18 tackles, 4 sacks). The Lions have been weak in coverage all season, with an NFL-low two interceptions on the year. Leigh Bodden (49 tackles, 1 INT) and Brian Kelly (25 tackles) have been staples at the cornerback position, and safeties Dwight Smith (54 tackles) and Kalvin Pearson (32 tackles) will play a wealth of snaps at safety.

WHEN THE LIONS HAVE THE BALL

Set to make his fourth start as a Lion is quarterback Daunte Culpepper (432 passing yards, 2 TD, 5 INT), who has kept Detroit in every game he has played but has not recorded elusive win number one. Culpepper helped stake the team to a 17-0 lead against the Buccaneers last week, leading a pair of scoring drives and throwing a touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson (48 receptions, 8 TD) in the first quarter, but struggling thereafter and eventually getting benched in favor of Drew Stanton. Culpepper returned when Stanton suffered a concussion soon after entering, and the veteran remains the team's lone viable starting option for the week. Johnson continues to be the team's most notable offensive weapon, with touchdowns in six of his last seven games, and needs just 95 receiving yards to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career. In the running game, rookie Kevin Smith (599 rushing yards, 5 TD, 27 receptions) has done some good things but could be limited on Thursday due to a shoulder problem. Backup Rudi Johnson could see a bit more time than usual against the Titans. Offensive line problems have been constant for a Lions club that has allowed 41 sacks and is a distant 28th in total offense (270.5 yards per game).

Though the Titans come off their weakest defensive showing of the season, a game in which they allowed 34 points and over 400 yards to the Jets, Tennessee still comes to the Motor City with a defense that ranks second in points allowed (15 per game) and seventh both overall (293.4 yards per game) and against the pass (189.5 yards per game). The biggest concern on Thursday is the questionable status of Pro Bowl tackle Albert Haynesworth (43 tackles, 8.5 sacks), who left last week's Jets loss with a concussion. If he can't go, fellow starting tackle Tony Brown (39 tackles, 3.5 sacks) and the linebacking corps of Keith Bulluck (72 tackles), Stephen Tulloch (53 tackles), and David Thornton (55 tackles) will have to pick up the slack. Haynesworth's team- leading sack total would also be missed, placing extra pressure on ends Kyle Vanden Bosch (21 tackles, 3.5 sacks) and Jevon Kearse (26 tackles, 2.5 sacks) to make plays. The Titans secondary has been one of the best playmaking groups in the league this season, and cornerback Cortland Finnegan (54 tackles, 1 sack) took over the team lead in INTs with his fifth of the year last week. All 16 of Tennessee's picks have come from the secondary, and safeties Chris Hope (62 tackles, 1 sack) and Michael Griffin (56 tackles, 1 sack) also have four each.

FANTASY FOCUS

Despite their 10-win status, the Titans have not had a number of great fantasy options this season. The dual-back approach has made starting Johnson or White somewhat problematic, though Johnson always seems to get his touches and White is frequently called upon around the goal line. It's safe to say that against the Lions, both are worth starting. Given the way Tennessee figures to run the ball, Collins and his receivers should remain second-string options only. The Titans defense struggled against the Jets, but is a great play in Detroit. The same goes for kicker Rob Bironas.

The Lions have one bona fide fantasy starter on the team - Calvin Johnson - and he's good enough to start even against a pretty good Titans secondary. No other Detroit players merit a start against an elite-level Titans defense, though kicker Jason Hanson might give you something if you take a flier on him.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

The Titans' loss last week eliminated the possibility of this being the "undefeated vs. defeated" matchup it was shaping up to become, and it likely also eliminated any credible chance the Lions had of springing an upset. Tennessee will come into Ford Field spitting mad over its first loss of the season, a result that led NFL observers from coast to coast to question the legitimacy of the Titans as a Super Bowl candidate. They'll be eager to re- affirm that status before a national TV audience, and thanks to major edges on both the offensive and defensive lines, won't meet with a great deal of resistance. The Lions might be fired up to get their first win and end a Turkey Day losing streak, but that flame will flicker and die when they realize just how inferior they are to Tennessee.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Titans 34, Lions 7