Lions vs Vikings pits NFC North foes against one another, as the Lions play their third division game already this season. Having lost two games against division opponents through four weeks, the Lions will be desperate to get a win for the first time in 2021. In this edition of NFL picks, we look at Detroit and Minnesota to determine if the Lions will get that first win or if the Vikings will pick up a second victory at home.
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Lions vs Vikings Betting Pick
This game will be played at US Bank Stadium at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, October 10, 2021.
Why Bet The Vikings:
✅ Outside of their season opening game against the 49ers, where they scored multiple times in the final minutes, the Lions have not scored over 20 points. Minnesota was stingy defensively against a quality Cleveland Browns offense last week, and should be able to shut down the Jared Goff-led Lions attack as well.
✅ Things are going from bad to worse for the Lions this season, as they have lost their Pro Bowl center on injured reserve. Frank Ragnow was put on IR this week, which will make it even harder for the Lions offense to get things going on the offensive side of the ball.
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✅ In their last two home games, the Minnesota Vikings have allowed 31 points against quality opponents. They held the Seattle Seahawks to 17 points and the Cleveland Browns to 14 points. Assuming their offense can improve on the seven points they put up against the Browns, Minnesota should be able to outscore Detroit handily.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions lost their fourth game in a row on Sunday when they could not keep up with the Chicago Bears for the majority of their Week 4 matchup. Despite holding Bears quarterback Justin Fields without a touchdown pass for the game, Detroit allowed running back David Montgomery to rush for over 100 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort. Now the Lions are looking at a potential 0-5 start to the season as they take on the Vikings in their second straight road game.
For Detroit, slow starts have been what has killed them this season. Against the 49ers and Bears, they have been forced to try and come back from double-digit deficits, which they are simply not built to do with Jared Goff at quarterback. If they want any chance to upset Minnesota, they are going to need to hang with Minnesota for the first half of the game.
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota was disappointing in Week 4, as they were beaten 14-7 by the Cleveland Browns. Despite their defense playing very well against Baker Mayfield and the rest of the Browns’ offense, Kirk Cousins could not engineer enough scoring drives to get the Vikings a victory. This week, the offense should have an easier time as they take on a Detroit defense that has played poorly in several games this season.
One thing to praise the Vikings for has been their defense at home so far this season. They are allowing 15.5 points per game during their home games so far this year. After struggling on defense on the road against the Bengals and Cardinals, Minnesota’s defense has looked more like it was expected to look over the last two weeks. With the Lions dealing with several injuries, including to their starting center, the Vikings are expected to have another strong showing at home.