New England Patriots vs Detroit Lions Picks and Prediction for Sunday November 15 2026
New England and Detroit are taking the NFL to Germany on Sunday. They’ll meet at FC Bayern Munich Stadium at 9:30 AM ET, which is 3:30 in the afternoon in Munich. Detroit is the designated home team and is favored by 2.5 points, with the total at 51.5. The early forecast is around 42 degrees with light wind and a small chance of rain. No major weather problem. The Lions have the better record, but New England can move the football. I think Detroit wins, although this could be closer than people expect. Get ready for all the NFL action with our free NFL picks.
New England Needs to Stop Giving the Ball Away
The Patriots are coming to this game here after a 45-27 loss to Green Bay on Sunday, a loss that dropped the Patriots to 5-4 on the season. The Patriots have been playing good all season, but the one thing that haunts the Patriots are the turnovers. However, when New England does hold onto the ball they are able to play competitive football.
New England has played impressive on the offensive side of the ball with 23.4 points per game scored and picked up 369.4 yards a game. Those are nice numbers, but the turnovers are killing the offensive flow at a -11 on the turnover battle this season. The defense has played good at getting pressure on the quarterback with 25 sacks in 9 games.
Drake Maye has thrown for 2,282 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he also has 11 interceptions. That’s the problem in a nutshell. He can move the football, but the mistakes have been costly. DeMario Douglas has 434 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while Rhamondre Stevenson has rushed for 399 yards. New England needs Stevenson to provide some balance. Asking Maye to throw all afternoon against Detroit’s pass rush isn’t a great plan.
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Detroit Has Been More Dependable
Detroit is 6-2 after beating Miami 19-9 on Sunday. That wasn’t a particularly exciting offensive performance, but the Lions got the job done. Detroit has been one of the better teams in the NFC, and the offense has been more consistent than New England’s. The Lions also have the advantage of being familiar with international travel after preparing for this game, although neither team gets its normal home crowd.
Detroit is averaging 27.8 points and 379.8 yards per game. The Lions have also recorded 27 sacks, third-most in football. That’s a serious problem for New England if the Patriots can’t protect Maye. Detroit has been doing a better job taking care of the football, too, with a plus-three turnover differential. That’s a 14-turnover swing compared with New England. Hard to ignore.
Jared Goff has thrown for 2,134 yards with 15 touchdowns and only two interceptions. That’s excellent ball security. Jahmyr Gibbs has rushed for 847 yards and nine touchdowns, while Amon-Ra St. Brown has 61 catches for 657 yards. Detroit has plenty of ways to move the ball. The Lions need to keep New England from getting pressure on Goff and let Gibbs establish the running game. If they do that, I like their chances.
New England Patriots vs Detroit Lions Picks and Prediction
Spread Pick: Detroit Lions -2.5
I’m taking Detroit and laying the 2.5 points. New England can move the football, and Maye is capable of making some big plays. But the Patriots have been giving the ball away, and Detroit has been much better at protecting it. That’s a pretty big difference in a game between two good offenses. The Lions also have the better running game. I think Detroit wins by a field goal or more.
Total Pick: Over 51.5
I’ll take the over 51.5. Both teams are generating around 370 yards a game, and Detroit is scoring almost 28 points. New England is capable of putting up points, too, especially if Maye avoids the turnovers. The concern is that both defenses have been generating sacks and could slow things down. But I think the offensive talent wins out. Something around 30-24 Detroit gets us over.
Final Picks: Detroit Lions -2.5 | Over 51.5
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