Vegas line shifts towards Lions after Brock Osweiler named Dolphins starter

Ask any Detroit Lions player which Miami Dolphins quarterback they’d rather face on Sunday, and they’d likely give you the company line. “They each present different challenges” or “we’re practicing against a scheme, and both quarterbacks are capable of running that offense” or something along those lines.

However, Dolphins head coach Adam Gase announced on Wednesday that Ryan Tannehill will miss his second straight game with a shoulder injury and Brock Osweiler will start against the Lions. While that may not change much in the Lions locker room, it did have a noticeable effect on the Vegas betting line.

The opening line of Lions-Dolphins varied depending on where you looked. In some places, the Lions were already 2.5-point favorites, in others the Dolphins were favored by four. Some kept the Lions-Dolphins completely off the board until their quarterback situation was clear.

But now that Osweiler is the known starter, the Vegas lines have converged across the board, and they all like the Lions as a road favorite. At this point, just about everyone has the Lions as 2.5 or 3 point favorites, which just goes to show you the perceived lack of confidence Vegas senses towards Osweiler.

The Dolphins backup quarterback has actually faced the Detroit Lions before. As a member of the Houston Texans, Osweiler helped defeat the Lions back in 2016, throwing 20 completions on 29 attempts for 186 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

However, Lions fans don’t appear to be too worried about the Dolphins or Osweiler. In our weekly FanPulse survey, Lions fans are collectively picking the Lions by five points.