Eagles vs Lions Week 1 Picks and Predictions: Goedert Helps Philly in Week 1 Action

Week 1 action is officially here, and the Philadelphia Eagles will have something to prove after a stellar offseason. In our NFL betting picks and predictions, we believe Dallas Goedert is primed to have a big game against the Detroit Lions.

Jason Logan: Senior Betting Analyst at Covers
Jason Logan • Senior Betting Analyst
Sep 9, 2022 • 12:57 ET • 4 min read

The Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions were close to the hearts of NFL bettors this summer, but now force fans to choose when they clash in Week 1 of the 2022 NFL season.

Philadelphia saw its NFL odds spike after a solid offseason, headlined by the addition of star receiver A.J. Brown and positive progress from quarterback Jalen Hurts, who looked good in camp and preseason play. 

Detroit gave football fans an inside look at life within the franchise, starring in HBO’s "Hard Knocks" series this summer. That public appeal — along with an 11-6 against the spread record in 2021 — has drummed up its share of wagers on its 2022 success.

We break down the spread, total, and our best NFL betting picks and predictions for Eagles vs. Lions. 

Eagles vs Lions best odds

Eagles vs Lions picks and predictions

There are a ton of unknowns when it comes to these two teams, which has many bettors shying away from the spread or not getting involved with the total now that the best of the number is gone. Thankfully, the popularity of NFL betting has bookies pulling out all the stops, including a long list of player props.

We swing our focus to Philadelphia’s offense and specifically tight end Dallas Goedert, who quickly became Jalen Hurts’ top target in the home stretch of the season. The 6-foot-5 Goedert finished the campaign with 830 yards on 53 receptions, with over 400 of those gains coming on 27 catches in the final six games of the regular season. He added six grabs for 92 yards in the playoff loss to Tampa Bay.

While that boost in numbers did come against pitiful defenses at the end of the year, it also came against defenses protecting against the Eagles’ run-heavy playbook. Philadelphia will once again look for balance in the offense with a healthy dose of the ground game, and Detroit’s stout defensive line will be protecting against the run after allowing 236 yards rushing to Philadelphia in Week 8 last year.

The Lions may want to be careful with that game plan. Not only did Detroit get torched by rival tight ends in 2021 — allowing the second-highest yardage total to the position — but Goedert had a big day in that 44-6 blowout of the Lions on Halloween. He caught six of seven balls thrown his way for 72 yards.

The Detroit secondary will have their hands full with Philly’s other downfield targets — A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith — leaving Goedert to either exploit a weak Lions’ linebacker corps or bully a smaller safety. On top of that, Detroit is aiming to pump up its pass rush with some young studs up front, making Goedert a pressure release if Hurts feels the heat.

Goedert finished last year with an average of 55.3 receiving yards per game, and while Hurts has some other targets at his disposal in 2022, his tight end won’t be forgotten about. This pair picked up where they left off in the preseason opener, with Hurts hitting Goedert for a 22-yard touchdown pass. 

That’ll get you halfway to his Week 1 receiving yards prop.

My best bet: Dallas Goedert Over 45.5 yards receiving (-115 at Caesars)

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Eagles vs Lions betting preview

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Spread analysis Over/Under analysis Game info Injuries Weather Trend to know

Spread analysis

This spread opened between Eagles -3.5 and -4.5 and quickly found common ground at -4, where this game has remained most of the summer months. As we close in on kickoff Sunday, Philadelphia can be found as low as -3.5 — a significant spread since four points is a relatively key number behind those common spreads (3, 7, 6, 10, 14).

Sportsbook operators are split on action for this game, as some report heaving bet counts and handle on Philadelphia while others have taken the majority of tickets and money on Detroit. Our Covers Consensus, however, has 64% of picks backing Philadelphia.

These teams battled on Halloween in Week 8 last year, with the Eagles closing as 3-point road favorites in Motown before blowing out the host team 44-6. 

Over/Under analysis

The Over/Under for this Week 1 contest hit the board as low as 46 points back in mid May. Over money showed up in August as bettors got a look at both teams, primarily the Eagles offense with Hurts under center. That boosted the number to as high as 48.5 points, which is the market consensus entering game week.

Covers Consensus shows 52% of picks siding with the Under while sportsbook operators are heavy on Over money that moved this total in August. Places like DraftKings were reporting 58% of bets on the Under but 70% of the handle hung on the Over.

The Week 8 total from last season closed at 48 points and went Over with the Eagles doing the bulk of the heavy lifting in that 44-6 final score. 

Eagles vs Lions game info

Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI
Date: Sunday, September 11, 2022
Kickoff: 1:00 p.m. ET
TV: FOX

Eagles vs Lions key injuries

Find our latest NFL injury reports.

Eagles vs Lions weather

Monitor gametime conditions with our live NFL weather info and learn how weather impacts NFL betting.

Eagles vs Lions betting trend to know

Detroit has one hell of an Over run in season openers, going a perfect 10-0 O/U in Week 1 since 2011 while allowing 31.5 points per game in those contests. Find more NFL betting trends for Eagles vs. Lions.

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Jason Logan Senior Industry Analyst Covers.com
Senior Betting Analyst

In his 20 years with Covers, lead NFL betting analyst “JLo” has seen it all and bet it all. Through the wild west of early Internet gambling to lobbying for legalized sports betting to our brave new wagering world, Jason has been a consistent source of actionable info and entertainment for squares and sharps alike.

Since joining the Covers team back in 2005, he’s honed his handicapping skills to provide audiences with the most thorough insights, blending traditional capping methods with advanced modelling and predictive analysis. Jason has studied the ins and outs of the sports betting business, learning from some of the most successful gamblers in the industry and the biggest sportsbook operators on the planet.

He is under center for Covers during NFL season as our top NFL expert, taking the points in his infamous “NFL Underdogs” column and representing the Covers Community at the Super Bowl. While he lives for football season, Jason’s first love is basketball and that shows in his in-depth NBA, NCAA, and WNBA betting breakdowns.

On top of being a mainstay in media from coast to coast – WPIX, PHL17, Fox 5 San Diego, WGNO, TSN, SportsNet, ESPN Radio – he’s had his analysis featured in USA Today, MSNBC, ESPN, the Wall Street Journal, CBS, Bloomberg, the L.A. Times, the New York Times and other major publications. You can also find JLo stuffing all the top picks and predictions he can into 10 minutes as the host of Covers’ flagship podcast, The Sharp 600.

His best advice for bettors new and old is “Handicapping isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ process. The impact and importance of information varies from bet to bet. Treat each wager different than the last.”

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