Lions vs. Vikings: Odds, predictions, props and best bets
It’s the final week of the NFL regular season and two NFC North rivals will meet in Detroit when the Lions (11-5) host the Minnesota Vikings (7-9). This is the second meeting between these teams in the past three weeks. Detroit won the first matchup, 30-24.
NFL betting can be tricky and Week 18 is usually one of the tougher weeks to determine motivation. As you will see around the league, many teams are locked into their postseason status (or lack thereof) and are resting starters. That is not the case here, as both teams need to win to improve their positioning.
It has been a rotating door at quarterback for the Vikings since Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending injury, yet the Vikings’ postseason chances are still (barely) alive. Minnesota needs to beat Detroit and wins by Arizona, Chicago and Atlanta OR Carolina. Simple enough, right?
Nick Mullens started in the first matchup against Detroit, and it didn’t go very well. Mullens threw four interceptions and was sacked four times, though he did manage to throw for over 400 yards. Mullens will get the start again this Sunday, the fifth change the Vikings have made at quarterback this season.
Disappointment is putting it mildly. The infamous ruling against the Cowboys cost the Lions the game and changed the playoff landscape. So, yes it is disappointing. But the Lions have an opportunity to regroup before hosting their first playoff game since 1993.
Back to that playoff landscape. The Lions are pretty much locked into the number three seed in the NFC, though they could move up to number two with a win and losses by the Cowboys and Eagles. In any case, the Lions will want to channel their frustration into energy on the field, and there may be no coach more qualified to oversee this than Campbell.
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When in doubt, trust Dan Campbell. Campbell is 38-24 against the spread in his career. Mirroring their actual record, Detroit is 11-5 against the spread this season and has covered the spread in six straight games against the Vikings. The Lions may rest their regulars as the game goes on, but there’s no reason to assume Minnesota can keep up with Detroit at full strength, which they should be in the first half.
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Amon-Ra St. Brown has steadily emerged as not just a great story but one of the top wide receivers in the league, plain and simple. The Lions third-year receiver is tied for second in the NFL with 112 receptions and has 90 or more yards in each of his past three games. He has also scored touchdowns in three straight and four of his past five. It is no secret who Jared Goff’s favorite target is and he’s worth betting on to score yet again.
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