DET Lions vs ATL Falcons Picks, Betting Lines & Who’s Playing in Preseason Week 1

• Detroit is a 3.5-point road favorite after their ugly Hall of Fame Game performance
• Both teams will sit their starting quarterbacks with backups taking all the snaps Friday night
• See my favorite Lions vs Falcons pick plus the latest betting lines and who’s actually playing below

The Detroit Lions already have one preseason game under their belt, and it wasn’t pretty. They turned the ball over five times in a 34-7 Hall of Fame Game loss to the Chargers. Now they hit the road to face the Atlanta Falcons in their preseason debut Friday night.

The Lions opened as small favorites, but sharp money quickly drove them up to 3.5-point road favorites in the NFL odds. Neither team plans to play starters, making this a battle of backups. But Detroit’s already shaken off some rust while Atlanta takes the field for the first time.

Keep reading for my Lions vs Falcons picks and the latest on who’s playing.

Lions vs Falcons Picks

• Under 32.5 (-105 at Caesars)

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This game has the ingredients of ugly football. Both teams are rolling out backup quarterbacks who struggled mightily when we last saw them. Kyle Allen threw two interceptions in the Hall of Fame Game. Hendon Hooker managed just 18 yards on six attempts with a pick. Neither inspired any confidence.

On the other side, Easton Stick completed just 25 of 51 passes last preseason with three interceptions. His running mate Emory Jones split time between Baltimore’s practice squad and the UFL last year. This isn’t exactly a quarterback matchup for the ages.

Dan Campbell wants to see improvement after last week’s disaster. He said they need to “play much better” after turning it over five times. But wanting better and getting it with these quarterbacks are two different things. Both coaches have losing preseason records too — Campbell is 5-8 straight up while Raheem Morris sits at 5-10.

Detroit might have the experience edge from playing last week, but they also showed they can’t protect the football. Atlanta’s keeping this simple by sitting both Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins. They’re evaluating young players, not trying to win at all costs.

With four underwhelming quarterbacks taking snaps and both teams missing key offensive pieces, points will be at a premium. Take the under and don’t look back.

DET Lions vs ATL Falcons Betting Lines

Detroit sits as a 3.5-point road favorite and -195 on the moneyline, while Atlanta comes back at +162. The Lions opened between -1 and -2 before sharp action drove the number up. The total of 32.5 points implies a typical low-scoring preseason affair.

Odds as of August 8th at Caesars. Check out the top NFL betting apps to get a bonus to use on Lions vs Falcons.

Who’s Playing: Lions vs Falcons

Both teams are taking the conservative approach with their starters. Dan Campbell confirmed that Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, and David Montgomery will watch from the sidelines. Raheem Morris is sitting Michael Penix Jr. and Kirk Cousins, leaving the quarterback duties to the backups.

The Lions will start Hendon Hooker at quarterback after his rough Hall of Fame Game showing. He admitted to being “very disappointed” in himself and needs a bounce-back performance. Kyle Allen takes over in the second half after throwing two picks last week.

Notable Lions and Falcons Playing Tonight

For Atlanta, the spotlight shifts to their rookie class. First-round picks Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. will both see action despite Walker dealing with a minor hamstring issue earlier in camp. Morris confirmed Walker is ready to go and eager to make his NFL debut.

The Falcons’ entire five-man draft class should see the field, giving fans their first look at the future. Third-round safety Xavier Watts and fourth-round defensive back Billy Bowman Jr. have been getting first-team reps in camp and could shine against Detroit’s backups.

Detroit has position battles to sort out. The backup center job remains wide open between Michael Niese, Kingsley Eguakun, and Tryston Colon. At tight end, Kenny Yeboah and Zach Horton are pushing Shane Zylstra for the third spot. With Dan Jackson on injured reserve, the fourth safety spot is up for grabs between Loren Strickland, Morice Norris, and Ian Kennelly.

Campbell is “thinking about” playing first-round defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and second-round guard Tate Ratledge, but hasn’t committed. Both sat out the Hall of Fame Game. Meanwhile, struggling 2024 fourth-rounder Giovanni Manu essentially plays for his roster spot after a rough camp.