Lions favored in Week 2 matchup vs. Commanders

Detroit Lions rookie defensive end Aidan Hutchinson Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Lions surprising favorites in Week 2 matchup vs. Commanders

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 9/14/22

With more states than ever able to legally bet on sports these days, wagering on the NFL has reached a whole new level of crazy.

That doesn't make it any less shocking to see the Detroit Lions opened the week as 1.5-point favorites across multiple sportsbooks heading into their Week 2 matchup against the Washington Commanders.

It's surprising, of course, because the Lions haven't been favored in 24 consecutive weeks, the longest streak in the Super Bowl era.

THE LIONS HAVE OPENED AS FAVORITES AGAINST THE COMMANDERS IN WEEK 2 pic.twitter.com/nZOyd09Zo5
— BetMGM (@BetMGM) September 12, 2022

According to ESPN, the last time Detroit was favored was Nov. 22, 2020, on the road against the Carolina Panthers. The Lions, which were the one-point favorites heading into that game, lost to the PJ Walker-led Panthers 20-0.

Detroit is coming off of a hard-fought 38-35 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in which Dan Campbell's club rallied for 14 points in the fourth quarter to bring the score within a field goal. While the comeback showed fight in this season's Lions team, Campbell isn't going to buy in to the hype surrounding his team being a 1.5-point favorite at home against Washington.

#Lions coach Dan Campbell's approach to being favorites this week: "All that doesn't matter."

Campbell says "we've got to play better."
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) September 14, 2022