NFL Week 8 opening odds: Detroit Lions 3-point underdogs vs. Miami Dolphins

The Detroit Lions (1-5) are coming off a tough loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7, but they will be returning to the comfy confines of Ford Field in Week 8 to host the Miami Dolphins (4-3). The good folks over at DraftKings Sportsbook have already set the opening line for this game and are favoring the Dolphins by 3 points.

The Dolphins started out hot this season, winning their first three games, but controversy struck surrounding questionable management regarding a concussion to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. With their quarterback unable to play, the Dolphins dropped their next three games—to the Bengals, Jets, and Vikings—looking like a completely different team. But with Tagovailoa back under center in Week 7 vs. the Steelers, the Dolphins got back to their winning ways, though it was hardly in convincing fashion.

They are not the juggernaut they were over the first three weeks of the season. They didn’t score in the second half of their most recent win, as their offense struggled, but their defense stepped up when it mattered and secured them the win.

Meanwhile, the Lions defense is coming off their best performance of the season, but the Dolphins speed on offense could present them with problems. If the Lions defense can repeat their Week 7 performance—or dare I say, improve—they will keep them in the game and give their offense a chance to compete.

The Lions once-dominant offense is struggling. After leading the league in scoring through the first four weeks of the season, the Lions have failed to score a touchdown in their last two games. Now, some of that is because they have lost some of their top offensive skill players—D’Andre Swift hasn’t played since Week 3, Amon-Ra St. Brown was removed early in Week 7 due to new concussion protocol parameters applied by the league after the Tagovailoa mishandling, and DJ Chark is on injured reserve—but they still have capable players and zero touchdowns is unacceptable. The problem has been their inability to sustain, lack of conviction/confidence, and turnovers. Quarterback Jared Goff is responsible for six turnovers in the Lions' last two games alone.

The point spread seems appropriate for this game, as it could be another close contest. The Lions return home where they are a much better team and could possibly return both Swift and St. Brown this week, but the Dolphins are a scrappy team that seems to just find a way to win with Tagovailoa under center.