Barstool Bush
Predictions

Washington Commanders at Detroit Lions

By Bush StaffUpdated 48m ago·1 min read
Washington CommandersWAS(1-0 PRE)
Detroit LionsDET(0-1 PRE)
13—17
FINAL
Show fees
FINAL
Spread
ML
Total
Commanders(1-0 PRE)
WWLLW
13
Lions(0-1 PRE)
LWLLL
17
Best BetLions -186
Postgame

The moneyline case held up: Detroit's defense did the heavy lifting and Dobbs' touchdown run was the swing play we flagged, pushing the Lions to a clean 17-13 win despite a lineup full of backups. Washington's own quarterback carousel — Daniels for one drive, then Kaliakmanis and Hartman — never generated the push needed to flip it.

Pregame

Detroit's price on this one has come down a good deal since it first posted, and that's fair — resting Goff always shrinks the gap. But the Commanders are trotting out a quarterback who threw an interception in his last outing, doing it behind two backup offensive tackles, while Detroit's QB2 battle at least has a full camp of reps behind it. We're staying with the Lions here, just with less conviction than when this first went up.

This was billed as a look at Washington's real weapons for the first time all summer. Daniels, McLaurin and Diggs — who sat out the preseason opener against Miami entirely — were all cleared to play at Ford Field, with Diggs making his Commanders debut after signing a one-year deal in early August. Detroit went the other way, holding Jared Goff out of every preseason game under Dan Campbell's plan and using this one to settle its QB2 battle between Joshua Dobbs and Luke Altmyer instead.

The absences told their own story. Washington's third quarterback, Marcus Mariota, was already out with a sprained MCL, thinning the QB room further. Detroit was without Sam LaPorta, who's been managing a hip issue out of camp, and safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, both still working back from longer-term injuries. None of it kept the number close — this line had come in toward Washington by kickoff at 12:00 PM ET, with the market clearly unconvinced Detroit's backups would separate against a Commanders group getting its top skill talent real snaps.

Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders
(1-0 PRE)
Aug 14Wvs DolphinsPre20-7
Jan 4W@ Eagles24-17
Dec 25Lvs Cowboys23-30
Dec 20Lvs Eagles18-29
Dec 14W@ Giants29-21
Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
(0-1 PRE)
Aug 13L@ BengalsPre14-16
Jan 4W@ Bears19-16
Dec 25L@ Vikings10-23
Dec 21Lvs Steelers24-29
Dec 14L@ Rams34-41
Washington Commanders
Washington Commanders
(14)
  • QuestionableNewTim Settle (DT) — Settle (calf) will not play against the Lions in Saturday's preseason game.08/22
  • QuestionableNewK'Lavon Chaisson (LB) — Chaisson (knee) will not play in Saturday's preseason game against the Lions.08/22
  • QuestionableNewJeremy McNichols (RB) — McNichols (quadriceps) will not play in Saturday's preseason game against Detroit.08/22
  • QuestionableNewJacory Croskey-Merritt (RB)
  • QuestionableNick Allegretti (G) — Allegretti (calf) will not play in Saturday's preseason game against Detroit, Ben Standig of Big 100 Washington D.C. reports.08/21
  • QuestionableTrey Amos (CB) — Amos (ankle) is getting healthier but is not ready to return to the field at this point, Tashan Reed of The Washington Post reports.08/20
  • QuestionableRachaad White (RB) — White (hamstring) won't play in Saturday's preseason game against the Lions, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.08/20
  • QuestionableJordan Magee (LB) — Magee suffered a shoulder injury during Friday's preseason opener against the Dolphins, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.08/19
  • QuestionableMarcus Mariota (QB)
  • QuestionableOdafe Oweh (LB) — Oweh (undisclosed) did not participate in Tuesday's practice, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.08/18
  • OutJer'Zhan Newton (DT) — Commanders head coach Dan Quinn confirmed that Newton underwent surgery to repair a torn pectoral Wednesday in New York, but a timeline for the defensive lineman's return to the field hasn't yet been established, Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic reports.08/20
  • OutLaremy Tunsil (OT)
  • SuspensionDorance Armstrong (DE) — reserve-sus08/19
  • Injured ReserveJerome Ford (RB) — ir08/19
Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
(13)
  • QuestionableEnnis Rakestraw Jr. (CB) — Rakestraw didn't finish practice Thursday due to an apparent leg injury, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports.08/21
  • QuestionableJimmy Rolder (LB) — Coach Dan Campbell said this week that Rolder (hamstring) could begin practicing pretty early in the season, Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News reports.08/21
  • QuestionableSam LaPorta (TE) — LaPorta is dealing with a hip injury, and head coach Dan Campbell wouldn't commit Thursday to the tight end being available for Week 1 against the Saints, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.08/20
  • QuestionablePayton Turner (DE)
  • QuestionableMekhi Wingo (DT)
  • QuestionableIsiah Pacheco (RB)
  • QuestionableD.J. Reed (CB)
  • QuestionableMalcolm Rodriguez (LB)
  • QuestionableJacob Saylors (RB)
  • OutCade Mays (C)
  • OutBrian Branch (S) — Head coach Brian Campbell told reporters Tuesday that Branch (Achilles) is coming along in his rehab and could return to practice in late August or early September, Colton Pouncy of The Athletic reports.08/11
  • OutKerby Joseph (S) — Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters Tuesday that Joseph (knee/personal) could be back on the field with the Lions early on in the upcoming regular season, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.08/11
  • Injured ReserveKye Robichaux (RB) — ir08/19

It played out mixed. Daniels was pulled after one drive for precautionary reasons, and Kaliakmanis and Hartman handled the rest of the game for Washington. Dobbs, working with Detroit's second unit, delivered the signature play — a 50-yard touchdown run — before an interception took some shine off it. Trayveon Williams punched in Detroit's other score, and the Lions defense turned in exactly the kind of clean afternoon that kept the Commanders' backup quarterbacks off schedule most of the day.

Sources

NFLWashington CommandersDetroit LionsPolymarketKalshi