Vikings vs. Lions: NFL Week 13 betting odds, preview, and pick
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins. (David Berding/Icon Sportswire)
December 3rd, 2021
An NFC North matchup between two teams missing their starting running backs is set for this Sunday, when the Minnesota Vikings try to keep their playoff hopes alive and travel to Detroit to take on the Lions.
Let’s break down the game.
The Vikings are just 5-6 straight up on the season and 6-5 against the spread. Despite the average record, they have had a touchdown lead in every single one of their games, and have had eight of their games come down to the final play.
The Lions are 0-10-1 straight up but 7-4 against the spread. The game line has the Vikings as seven-point favorites, with the total for the game set at 46.5.
Vikings won narrowly in first meeting
In the first game of the season between these teams, the Vikings defense dominated the Lions offense for the majority of the game. The score was 16-6 until just 2:30 left in regulation, when chaos ensued and things got interesting.
The Lions kicked a field goal to get to 16-9, then a Vikings fumble resulted in a go-ahead Lions score with just 37 seconds left in the game. Minnesota answered with a couple of big pass plays, before a 54-yard field goal by Greg Joseph sealed the win, 19-17, as time expired.
In that matchup, Jared Goff and the Lions passing attack averaged just 4.6 yards per pass. The running game was fairly effective, but it will be without D’Andre Swift in this game.
Lions’ RB D’Andre Swift officially out for Sunday’s game vs Vikings due to his shoulder injury.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 3, 2021
While the Vikings will likewise be without starting running back Dalvin Cook, they were also without Cook in the first game, and backup Alexander Mattison still carried 25 times for 113 yards.
Cousins hit 73% of his passes, and if not for a late missed field goal by Joseph or the fumble in the final minutes, the outcome of the first game could have easily been more lopsided.
The Vikings looked like the better team throughout the contest, and are strong favorites, despite playing on the road in this rematch.
Vikings vs. Lions injury report
| Minnesota Vikings | Detroit Lions |
|---|
RB Dalvin Cook: Out (shoulder) | RB D’Andre Swift: Out (shoulder) |
LB Anthony Barr: Questionable (hamstring) | DE Michael Brockers: Questionable (knee) |
LB Nick Vigil: Probable (ribs) | OT Penei Sewell: Questionable (illness) |
LB Eric Kendricks: Questionable (bicep) | DE Trey Flowers: Questionable (knee) |
Vikings and Lions betting trends
- Vikings are 4-1 ATS in their last five road games
- Vikings are 42-18 in their last 60 games following a straight-up loss
- The favorite is 6-2 ATS in the last eight meetings between these teams
- The Under is 11-5 ATS in the last 16 meetings between these teams
- The Under is 8-1 in the Lions’ last nine games
Vikings desperate for a win
The NFL is in a weird state this year, with no dominant teams and plenty of opportunity for mid-level teams to make late-season runs that earn them a playoff spot.
The Vikings sit just 5-6 but are still within striking distance of the postseason, and this is an excellent opportunity to get to .500 overall.
With teams like San Francisco and Washington surging, it is important that the Vikings take advantage of winnable games if they want to keep pace.
The Lions have competed valiantly throughout their winless season, but this isn’t a good matchup for their lackluster offense. Without Swift and with Goff playing through an injured oblique, the Lions offense will struggle.
Score prediction: Vikings 27, Lions 13
NFL Week 13 pick: Vikings -7
Vikings vs. Lions Pick powered by The Quant Edge
Our predictive engine is calling for the Vikings to win outright.
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