NFL Week 9 Picks: Detroit Lions vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Wide receiver Calvin Johnson continues to play banged up, as the Detroit Lions (3-4) prepare to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) on Sunday afternoon, with the opening kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on FOX.

The Lions are 3.5-point road favorites in the current Week 9 NFL betting odds (courtesy of SBR Forum), while the total sits at 44 in the market.

Johnson has failed to catch a pass in the first half in the last two games, while Detroit has trailed at halftime in all seven games this year.

Let's take a closer look at this nonconference affair from a betting perspective, while offering a total prediction along the way. 

Detroit Lions

Leon Halip/Getty Images

The Detroit Lions will be playing away from the Motor City for the third time in a four-game span, which could cause the offense to sputter in the Sunshine State.

Sports bettors should expect the Lions to try and establish a running game this week, as the Jacksonville Jaguars will dare them to do so.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert threw for a career-high 303 yards in last week's 24-15 setback to the Green Bay Packers as 16-point road underdogs, but he'll need to avoid making mistakes in this affair.

The Jaguars have lost their three home games by an average of 25 points per game during the 2012 campaign, while the UNDER cashed in all three of their games after returning home from back-to-back road games last year.

Las Vegas Perspective

Handout/Getty Images

I reached out to Jimmy Vaccaro earlier this week about this high-profile affair. He serves as the public relations director for William Hill US, and here's what he had to say:

This got 16-14 written all over it. Bet on it to go under. The Jaguars can't pass, the Lions can't run.

Prediction

I'm going to recommend that readers play the UNDER in this nonconference affair, as the Jacksonville Jaguars have fallen short of the number in their last four games with a total between 42.5 and 45 points.

NFL Week 9 Pick: Under 44

 

Follow Jeff Grant on Twitter