Should anyone really count out the Lions?

A touchdown favorite?

That’s a lot of respect given, considering we’ve reached the conference championship games. Or, it’s disrespect, if you’re the other guys. Yet, that’s exactly how the oddsmakers have favored the San Francisco 49ers over the Detroit Lions, though. Of the four teams remaining, the Lions have the worst odds – by nearly double – of any team left standing to win the Super Bowl.

Have we forgotten what Dan Campbell famously told us upon taking over the reins in Detroit?

“This team is going to kick you in the teeth … and when you knock us down, on the way up we’re going to bite a kneecap off … and we’re going to get up … and if you knock us down again, we’re going to get up and bite off the other kneecap.”

Hey, if the Lions can somehow beat the Niners, don’t say he didn’t warn us.

And really, why can’t they?

Sure, San Francisco has been one of the favorites to win it all from the jump this season. The 49ers have talent galore on both sides of the ball, a coach with a brilliant offensive mind, and two of the top MVP candidates in Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey. But they also just barely snuck by the Green Bay Packers 24-21 this past weekend; it took a Packers missed field goal and a McCaffrey touchdown with 1:07 left on the clock to advance. To be fair, that’s what championship caliber teams do – they find a way to win – but shouldn’t the mighty 49ers have made it look easier against rookie quarterback Jordan Love and the Packers? After all, less was expected of the Packers this season than of the Lions, who split the head-to-head matchup with Green Bay this season. 

Read any betting preview on the web and very few are willing to jump on the Lions – perhaps rightfully slow as all the analytics point in San Fran’s favor. Then again, and from time to time, there’s another chapter added to Cinderella’s story.

Steve Quinn’s Pick: Detroit Lions to win Super Bowl LVIII +750

If you’re a Lions fan, here’s a stat you might like: Detroit was 7-2 ATS this season. Being a 7-point dog in the NFC Championship is somewhat of a slap in the face, so don’t be surprised if Dan Campbell’s bunch keeps this game close, biting a few kneecaps along the way. Jared Goff, a first-rounder eschewed by the Rams who has found his niche under Campbell in Detroit – appears to have something to prove. If Niners wide receiver Deebo Samuel is a no-go against Detroit – Samuel didn’t finish the game against the Packers with a shoulder injury and is not being considered “50-50” per an Adam Schefter report – it’s one less weapon the Lions have to contend with. San Francisco still has more than most, but reducing the possibilities for the Lions defense can only be a good thing. Remember, the Packers were a 9.5-point underdog against a fully-healthy 49ers squad, yet they made it more than interesting (and covered!).

Yes, it would be a shock if Detroit derails Kyle Shanahan’s road back to the Super Bowl, but the Lions have come this far. If you’re positive the Lions miracle run comes to an end this weekend, stay away. But if you love the idea of a Cinderella dancing all the way up until midnight, it’s reasonable to take the Lions +7.0; they don’t seem like a team that’s going to get embarrassed even in a loss. And, if you believe in miracles – which, according to some, have already occurred in Detroit – go for broke and put some dough on the Lions to win it all. At +750 – odds that a Super Bowl contender might be getting before the season – the Lions hoisting Lombardi would be both miraculous and highly profitable.