Lions Face An Uphill Battle On Thanksgiving Against Struggling Texans

Please rewrite your request to include specific information or provide a sentence that needs to be rewritten.

This week is Thanksgiving, so the Texans will face off against the Lions in a nationally televised game on Thursday.

Can the Lions recover from their worst performance of the season and bounce back on a shortened schedule? They are scheduled to play against the struggling Houston Texans team this Thursday at 12:30 p.m. ET, airing on CBS.

Thursday’s clash sees the Lions as the underdog, even though they have one additional victory.

Texans vs. Lions odds: Houston holds the edge

Oddsmakers have favored the Texans, despite their (3-7, 1-4 away) record, as they prepare to travel to Detroit to take on the Lions (4-6, 1-3 home).

The Texans are widely considered the frontrunners, being perceived as a 2.5-point favorite for their away game. (Odds were last updated at noon ET on Thursday, Nov. 26.)

Texans at Lions Week 11 odds	BetMGM	DraftKings	FanDuel	PointsBet	William Hill
Point spread (-110 juice unless noted)	HOU -3 -115 DET +3 -106	HOU -3 -105 DET +3 -115	HOU -3 DET +3	HOU -3 DET +3	HOU -3 DET +3
Moneyline	HOU -176 DET +145	HOU -155 DET +135	HOU -164 DET +138	HOU -165 DET +140	HOU -160 DET +140
Total points (-110 juice unless noted)	O 51.5 -106 U 51.5 -115	O 51.5 U 51.5	O 52 U 52	O 52 U 52	O 52 U 52

Most sportsbooks have the Texans as -130 favorites on the moneyline, while the Lions are generally listed as +110 underdogs.

The sportsbook has set the over/under line at either 50.5 or 51 points.

The line at DraftKings Sportsbook had been increased to a 3-point margin by Tuesday morning. This particular number holds significance in NFL betting, as it represents the most frequent margin of victory in the league.

As of Wednesday, the line had been raised to 3 by all five sportsbooks we are monitoring.

FYI: NFL betting options limited during the shutdown

Michigan sports bettors are currently facing a slightly tougher challenge when it comes to placing wagers on Thursday’s game, thanks to the ongoing pandemic order that is set to remain in effect until at least Dec. 8.

Greektown Casino, MGM Grand Detroit, and MotorCity Casino in Detroit were closed by the order, and numerous tribal casinos followed suit.

Last week, Bay Mills made the decision to shut down its operations, whereas Kewadin Casinos closed down all five of their casino establishments situated in Christmas, Hessel, Manistique, Sault Ste. Marie, and St. Ignace.

Due to the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, many casinos that remain open have chosen to implement more stringent safety measures, in addition to those already closed.

As of November 23rd, this is the current information on where you can place NFL bets in Michigan.

• William Hill is located in Turtle Creek.
• William Hill operates the Leelanau Sands Casino.
• The Four Winds establishments located in Dowagiac, Hartford, and New Buffalo (Kambi)
• Parx Casino at Gun Lake
• The casino operated by Sci Games is called FireKeepers Casino.
• The BetAmerica Island Resort & Casino
• Fox Bet is a casino located in Petoskey and Mackinaw City called Odawa Casino.

Stay up to date with the latest developments on online betting in Michigan, as it is expected to be fully operational by mid-to-late December.

Texans on a hot streak against Detroit

Now, let’s return to the Thanksgiving match between the Texans and Lions. Throughout their histories, these two teams have only faced each other on four occasions.

In 2004, the Lions secured a 28-16 victory in their first meeting, but since then, the Texans have emerged triumphant in the last three encounters.

Among those three victories, one notable win occurred on Thanksgiving Day in 2012, with a close score of 34-31 in overtime. Additionally, the Lions have successfully covered the spread in two out of the three losses they encountered.

Unsurprisingly, the public betting heavily favors the Texans in this game. Houston is the preferred choice, receiving 71% of the wagers as the favored team against Detroit.

Lions show no fight in epic loss at Carolina

Out of the numerous disappointing displays by the Detroit Lions over time, their performance on Sunday unquestionably ranks among the most abysmal.

When the Panthers were missing their starting QB Teddy Bridgewater and star running back Christian McCaffrey, Detroit experienced a crushing 20-0 defeat in Carolina.

P.J. Walker, a standout player from the XFL, was permitted by the Lions to amass a total of 258 yards and score a touchdown against them through his throws.

Matt Patricia’s current record of 13-28-1 in Detroit, combined with the recent loss, has intensified the pressure on him, placing him firmly on the hot seat.

In his professional career, Matthew Stafford experienced his first shutout on Sunday. The Lions’ offense only managed to accumulate a total of 185 yards.

Stafford’s personal passing record stood at 18 completions out of 33 attempts, resulting in 178 yards. However, he faced the challenge of playing with a torn ligament on his thumb, which restricted the team’s ability to make deep throws.

Due to D’Andre Swift’s absence due to concussion protocol, Detroit struggled to establish a running game. The Lions only managed to gain 40 yards on 17 rushing attempts.

After missing Sunday’s game, Detroit is hopeful that both Swift and their leading receiver, Kenny Golladay (hip), will be able to play on Thursday.

Can Detroit overcome Houston’s passing attack?

In a remarkable triumph on Sunday, the Houston Texans secured their most impressive victory of the 2020 NFL Season by fending off the New England Patriots with a 27-20 scoreline. This remarkable win marks their second triumph in three games and notably, their first conquest against a team other than the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Since dismissing coach Bill O’Brien following their winless 0-4 start, the Texans have exhibited signs of resurgence.

The contest on Sunday was a display of offensive prowess, as the two teams amassed a total of 834 yards.

Deshaun Watson delivered an exceptional performance this season, amassing 344 passing yards and two touchdowns on 28 of 37 completed attempts. Additionally, he emerged as Houston’s top rusher, accumulating 36 yards and securing a touchdown.

Houston’s passing attack, which is currently ranked eighth in the NFL at 274.3 yards per game, will pose a challenge for Detroit. Nevertheless, Detroit’s weak run defense still has the ability to halt Houston’s ground game.

With just 84.6 yards per game, the Texans hold the 31st position in rushing among all NFL teams. David Johnson, their top rusher, has been absent for the past two weeks due to a concussion. Following Week 9, he was placed on injured reserve (IR).

Despite JJ Watt having a comparatively subdued season, his recent performance in Sunday’s victory, where he achieved four pass deflections, demonstrated his capability to make a significant impact.

Watt is the leader of the Houston defense, which currently holds the 31st position in the NFL rankings. They allow an average of 27.2 points and 411.7 yards per game. Surprisingly, their run defense is even weaker than Detroit’s. The Texans give up a league-worst 159.3 yards per game on the ground. If Swift is able to play, it could potentially be a highly successful day for the rookie.

On Thanksgiving Day, we will witness what surprises the Texans vs. Lions game holds.

Could you please rephrase this sentence?