Deebo Samuel’s Status for 49ers Improving Ahead of NFC Title Game
Lions vs 49ers NFC Odds: Spread Climbs to San Francisco -7.5
The Detroit Lions’ revitalization keeps moving forward but is still not ready for completion. There’s a couple more hurdles to clear as Dan Campbell and company set their sights on an elusive Super Bowl, starting with the NFC Championship Game on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET) against the San Francisco 49ers.
San Francisco, the NFC’s No. 1 seed, opened as 6.5-point favorites. But as of Friday morning the NFL spread has climbed to -7.5 at +102 odds, the biggest number this week. The 49ers are also -340 on the moneyline, with the Lions priced +270 to win outright. Meanwhile, the total sits at 51.5 after swinging between 50.5 to 52.5.
With kickoff just over 48 hours from now, we look at the biggest remaining storylines that could affect the Lions vs 49ers NFC odds.
Lions vs 49ers 
Day/Time:
Location: Levi’s Stadium; Santa Clara, Calif.
Streaming: Watch Live Sports
All Systems Go for Detroit
The Lions are one win from an improbable run to Super Bowl LVIII. Gven the magnitude of the situation, most NFL players are willing to do practically whatever it takes to play.
That includes two-time All-Pro center Frank Ragnow, who plans to suit up Sunday despite a battering of NFL injuries. Ragnow sprained both his ankle and knee in the Divisional Round against Green Bay. He’s also dealing with toe and back issues.
Despite that, Ragnow told reporters he’s feeling better than expected and plans to play.
The same goes for tight end Sam LaPorta, who’s been gutting through a knee injury. LaPorta returned to practice on Thursday, indicating that he should be a full go for this week. He’s coming off a nine-catch, 65-yard performance against Tampa Bay.
Detroit (14-5) advanced to its first NFC title game since the 1991 season and is seeking its first trip to the Super Bowl. Priced +2000 in the preseason, Detroit is now +750 to be the NFL champions.
The Lions have been the most profitable team for bettors, going 13-6 ATS for a cover rate of 68.4%. That includes a 5-1 mark over the last six games. Only two other NFL teams even have 12 wins ATS, that being the Ravens and Buccaneers.
Deebo Trending Upward
The status of Deebo Samuel remains in question, but the 49ers star receiver on Thursday took another step toward playing by returning to practice on a limited basis.
Samuel was forced from the Divisional Round with a shoulder injury and then sat out practice Wednesday, instead running sprints under the supervision of the training staff.
Coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that Samuel was “feeling better,” but he stopped short of declaring him available for Sunday. Samuel will likely remain questionable, but his return to practice obviously bodes well.
Samuel had 60 catches for 892 yards and seven touchdowns this NFL season, adding five more scorers on the ground. He missed nearly three games with a more serious shoulder injury earlier this season, and San Francisco went 0-3 in that span. Be sure to keep monitoring his status when assessing the Lions vs 49ers NFC odds.
The 49ers have no other significant injury concerns. Running back Christian McCaffrey returned last week from a calf strain to rush for 98 yards and two touchdowns.
The three-time All-Pro — and a -300 favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year — also had seven catches for 30 yards. He led the league in both rushing (1,459) and yards from scrimmage (2,023) this season while scoring 21 touchdowns, including 14 rushing.
At +145, the 49ers have the shortest Super Bowl odds of the remaining semifinalists. They’ve been favored in every game this season but are just 9-9 ATS. More notably, they’ve failed to cover in six straight home NFL games and are 3-6 ATS at Levi’s Stadium.
For Lions vs 49ers NFC odds, betting analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
