broncos vs lions nfl prediction
PublishedDecember 12, 2023,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:December 12, 2023

NFL: Denver Broncos vs. Detroit Lions Prediction 12/16/2023

The Denver Broncos (7-6) travel to face off against the Detroit Lions (9-4) on Saturday, December 16th. This game will be played at Ford Field in Ford Field and televised on NFLN. The Broncos are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Lions are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Bears. Kickoff is set for 8:15 ET.

Broncos vs Lions

The Broncos Are Coming Off A Win

In week 14, the Broncos hit the road to face the Chargers, coming away with a 24-7 win. Besides their outright victory, the Broncos also covered the spread as 3-point underdogs.

For the game, quarterback Russell Wilson attempted 33 passes and finished with 21 completions for 224. His passer rating for the game was 90.

On the defensive end, the Broncos recorded six sacks and one interception against the Chargers. Additionally, the team’s secondary allowed 207 passing yards, while the rush defense gave up 76 rushing yards.

Entering week 15, Denver is positioned 2nd in the AFC-West with a 7-6 record. In the AFC, they are currently in 9th place.

The Broncos’ current scoring margin for the season stands at -1.7, contributing to their ATS record of 5-7-1. This season, games featuring the Broncos have averaged 45.8 points, placing them at 8th in the NFL. They currently hold an over/under record of 5-8, with an average OU line of 44.2 points.

Broncos Injury Report

  • Alex Palczewski – Hand (Out)
  • Nik Bonitto – Knee (Questionable)
  • Greg Dulcich – Hamstring (Out)
  • Quinn Meinerz – Illness (Questionable)
  • Jalen Virgil – Meniscus (Out)
  • Eyioma Uwazurike – Suspension (Out)
  • Jonas Griffith – Knee (Out)
  • Caden Sterns – Knee (Out)
  • Tim Patrick – Achilles (Out)
  • Kareem Jackson – Suspension (Out)
  • K’Waun Williams – Ankle (Out)

The Lions Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

After their 28-13 loss to the Bears, the Lions are looking to bounce back in week 15. In addition to losing straight-up, the Lions also lost vs. the spread as 3 point favorites.

Jared Goff wrapped up the game with 161 passing yards and a passer rating of 54. Overall, he completed 20 of 35 passes.

This week, the Lions’ defense will be looking to do a better job vs. the run. In week 14 they gave up 142 rushing yards to the Bears. The Lions finished the game with 194 passing yards allowed.

So far this season, the Lions are an above .500 team at home at 4-2. Heading into week 15, they are 1st in the NFC-North on an overall record of 9-4. On the road, Detroit has gone 5-2 thus far.

The Lions have put together an above .500 record versus the spread this season, currently at 8-5. Their average scoring margin for this season is +2. Detroit games this season have averaged 50.3 points, which is 4th in the NFL. Their over/under record is 8-5, with an average OU line of 46.3 points.

Lions Injury Report

  • Nate Sudfeld – Knee (Out)
  • Halapoulivaati Vaitai – Back (Out)
  • Frank Ragnow – Knee/back/toe (Questionable)
  • Scott Daly – Knee (Out)
  • Jason Cabinda – Knee (Out)
  • Kindle Vildor – Undisclosed (Questionable)
  • Matt Nelson – Ankle (Out)
  • C.J. Gardner-Johnson – Pectoral (Out)
  • Emmanuel Moseley – Knee (Out)
  • Zonovan Knight – Shoulder (Out)
  • Hendon Hooker – Knee (Questionable)
  • Alim McNeill – Knee (Out)
  • Shane Zylstra – Knee (Out)
  • Mohamed Ibrahim – Hip (Out)
  • James Houston – Ankle (Out)

Broncos Offense Breakdown

This season, the Denver offense has an average of 22.1 points, placing them 13th in the league.

Heading into week 15, Denver ranks 28th in passing attempts and is averaging 6.4 yards per attempt (11). With 185.8 passing yards per game, they hold the 27th spot in the league.

The Broncos hold the 13th position in the NFL with 115 rushing yards per game. This average has come on an average of 26.7 rushing attempts (17th).

Lions Offense Breakdowndetroit lions betting

The Detroit offense is currently ranked 7th in the league, averaging 26.2 points per contest.

Detroit currently sits 10th in passing attempts and has an average of 7.1 yards per attempt (5). They are also ranked 7th in the league with 252.8 passing yards per game.

So far, the Lions have run the ball an average of 29.4 times per game and currently hold the 5th spot in rushing yards. On a per-attempt basis, they average 4.7 yards which is 4th.

Broncos Team Defense

On the defensive side of the ball, the Broncos give up an average of 233.4 passing yards and 144.0 rushing yards per game. Looking at their sack numbers, Denver is currently ranked 10th in the league. So far, they are giving up 23.8 points per game and 377.4 yards.

Lions Team Defense

The Lions defense comes into the game with rankings of 12th in tackles for loss and 15th in sacks. Their opponents have been scoring 24.2 points per game and gaining 323.5 yards (per game).

Broncos vs Lions Trendsdenver broncos betting

  • Although Denver has a straight up record of 3-2 in their last five road games, they have not held up as well vs. the spread going 2-2-1. The team averaged 20 points per game in these games.
  • Through their last ten home games, Detroit has an ATS record of just 7-3. However, their overall record was 7-3 while averaging 23 points per game.
  • The Broncos have played well in their last three games as the betting underdog, going 2-1 straight up and 2-1 against the spread.
  • Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Lions have a straight up record of 8-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 7-3.

Broncos vs Lions Prediction

Denver is my choice on the spread at +5. I expect the Denver rushing attack to take advantage of the Detroit defense, which struggled to defend the run in their recent game. Don’t miss out on Denver at +5.

The analysis we’ve been running for this game has the Broncos and Lions finishing with a combined 44 points. With the over/under line sitting at 46.5, I’m getting a bet down on the under.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.