NFC North Divisional Matchup
Point Spread: Lions -2.5 | Total Points: 47
Heading into the game, the Lions are the 3rd ranked team in the NFC with a record of 10-4. Against other teams in the Conference, they have a mark of 6-3. The Lions hosted the Broncos in 15. This game ended in a 42-17 win for Detroit. Detroit was favored by 5.5 against the Broncos and notched an ATS victory. The over/under line for their game was set at 49 points, and the teams exceeded it with a combined total of 59 points.
Coming into this week’s NFC matchup vs the Lions, the Vikings have a .500 record at 7-7. The Vikings are coming off a 27-24 loss to the Bengals. With a 3-point loss, the Vikings added an ATS push. They were 3-point underdogs prior to the game. The over/under line for their game was set at 41.5 points, and the teams exceeded it with a combined total of 51 points.
Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings History
In the two head-to-head matchups last season, the Lions and Vikings each picked up one win apiece. Against the spread, the Lions went 2-0, while the over/under record in these games was 2-0 on an average of 54.5 points per game. In these head-to-head matchups, the Lions’ offense averaged 440 yards per game compared to the Vikings at 394.5.
In the last three head-to-head matchups, the Lions are averaging 29 points per game, compared to the Vikings at 26. These figures have led to Detroit posting a record of 2-1.
Notable Injuries
Detroit Lions
- Scott Daly – Knee (Out)
- Jason Cabinda – Knee (Questionable)
- Nate Sudfeld – Knee (Out)
- Halapoulivaati Vaitai – Back (Out)
- Shane Zylstra – Knee (Out)
- Brock Wright – Groin (Questionable)
- Jerry Jacobs – Hamstring (Questionable)
- Alim McNeill – Knee (Out)
- Mohamed Ibrahim – Hip (Out)
- Derrick Barnes – Shoulder (Questionable)
- Matt Nelson – Ankle (Out)
- C.J. Gardner-Johnson – Pectoral (Questionable)
- Emmanuel Moseley – Knee (Out)
- Frank Ragnow – Knee/back/toe (Questionable)
- Penei Sewell – Shoulder (Probable)
- Levi Onwuzurike – Knee (Probable)
- James Houston – Ankle (Out)
- Zonovan Knight – Shoulder (Out)
Minnesota Vikings
- Alexander Mattison – Ankle (Questionable)
- Olisaemeka Udoh – Quad (Out)
- James Lynch – Knee (Out)
- Cam Akers – Achilles (Out)
- Dean Lowry – Pectoral (Out)
- Kirk Cousins – Achilles (Out)
- Jordan Hicks – Lower Leg (Questionable)
- Brian O’Neill – Ankle (Questionable)
- Marcus Davenport – Ankle (Out)
- Malik Knowles – Undisclosed (Out)
- Jalen Nailor – Concussion (Questionable)
- Danielle Hunter – Illness (Questionable)
- Jonathan Bullard – Ankle (Questionable)
- Sheldon Day – Ankle (Questionable)
- Harrison Phillips – Back (Questionable)
- Byron Murphy Jr. – Knee (Questionable)
Keys To Victory: Detroit Lions
Detroit’s offense comes in with an average of 27.3 points per game, which is currently 5th in the league. Jared Goff holds a passer rating of 98.2, placing him 13th at his position. So far, he has 3727 passing yards and recorded 26 passing touchdowns. A key to the team’s offensive success is their effectiveness on the ground. On the season, the Detroit offense is 4th in rush yards per attempt. This figure has led to an average of 140.9 yards per game.
Keys To Victory: Minnesota Vikings
Quarterback Nick Mullens leads the league’s 19th-ranked scoring offense into Detroit, averaging 248.8 passing yards per game. Minnesota will continue turning to the pass on offense, as they throw the ball an average of 37.1 times per contest. Overall, Mullens has put together a passer rating of 96.8 while throwing for 386 yards. The team’s top receiver T.J. Hockenson, has caught 91 passes and has accumulated 902 receiving yards this season. A major problem for this year’s Minnesota offense is their lack of production in the run game. The team is averaging just 3.9 yards per attempt. Overall, they are the 23rd-ranked team in yards per game.
Betting Trends
- Through their last ten road games, Detroit has an ATS record of just 7-3. However, their overall record was 7-3 while averaging 23 points per game.
- When looking at their past three home matchups, Minnesota has an ATS record of 1-0-2 while averaging 15 per game. The team went 1-2 overall in these games.
- Minnesota has done well both straight up and vs. the spread when favored to win the game, going 3-2 SU and 3-2 ATS in their last five games.
- As the betting favorite, the Lions have an ATS mark of just 7-3 in their last ten games. Detroit posted a straight-up mark of 8-2 in these matchups.
Prediction
- Minnesota Vikings 24 – Detroit Lions 23
