Can Detroit’s Defense String Together Multiple Games With Good Defense?
The Lions-Vikings Odds Are Closer Than Some Might Think!
The Minnesota Vikings will look to stay in the playoff race with a home game against the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The Vikings elected to start backup quarterback Nick Mullens in their most recent loss. However, that game was only a 27-24 loss in overtime to the Bengals. Mullens and the Vikings performed better in his first start than the Vikings had performed behind former quarterback Joshua Dobbs.
Dobbs has since been demoted to No. 3 on the depth chart in the quarterback position.
Meanwhile, the Lions have had an inconsistent last four weeks. They’ve gone 2-2 in their previous four games but just earned a 42-17 win over the Broncos to earn their 10th win of the season.
Detroit’s defense has struggled a lot this season. However, the Vikings have been awful on offense for most of the season.
Something’s got to give in this game.
Oddsmakers have made the Lions a three-point favorite on the road, with the total sitting at 46.5, juiced to -115 on the Over.
Can the Lions keep up their quality play, or will the Vikings sneak in with a win to get back over .500?
Let’s break down these Lions-Vikings odds for Sunday’s NFL matchup.
Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings 
Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
Day/Time:
Streaming: FOX
Lions-Vikings Odds
The Lions have gone 9-5 against the spread this season and have watched the Over hit in nine of 14 games this year. They’ve been dominant on the road and at home, with a 5-2 record in each category.
On the other hand, the Vikings have gone 7-4-3 against the spread this season. That means that three games this season have ended in a push for Minnesota games.
However, the Under has hit in ten of 14 games. That’s due to the constant change at quarterback since Kirk Cousins went down with a season-ending injury.
The Lions won the last battle against the Vikings on December 11, 2022. However, the Vikings have gone 8-2 straight up against the Lions in the previous ten games.
Detroit’s Season Ticket Prices Have Increased
The fans complain when the team is bad and then complain when the team is good.
Season tickets were cheap just a few years ago when the Detroit Lions were one of the worst teams in the NFL. But now that they’re 10-4 on the season, Detroit decided to increase season ticket prices by an average of 30%.
Fans are no longer happy with the Lions.
These ticket increases likely mean that the demand is up. The Lions also want to be able to profit off of their winning seasons. It’s been a while since Detroit has seen this type of success.
Ty Chandler Earned A Role Moving Forward
The Vikings needed some production with running back Alexander Mattison injured.
Minnesota gave Ty Chandler the first-team reps, and he delivered. In his last five games, Chandler has added 293 yards with two touchdowns. This season, he’s averaged 4.7 yards a carry, which is really good in the NFL.
Beyond that, Chandler has added 16 catches on 19 targets and has earned 7.2 yards per catch this year.
Therefore, even with Alexander Mattison questionable, the Vikings have already acknowledged that Chandler will have a role in this offense. Mattison will get him, but Chandler will also get plenty of reps.
It’ll help keep the two fresh and balance out the offense.
Is Detroit’s Defense Finally Turning The Corner?
The Detroit Lions are 10-4. But that’s mainly due to the offense, which has averaged 27.29 points per game.
Jared Goff has thrown 26 touchdowns and just ten interceptions, adding 3,727 yards in the air. Meanwhile, Detroit has an epic running back room between David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Gibbs has rushed for 5.7 yards a carry and has seven rushing touchdowns on 139 attempts. However, he’s also got 47 catches for 296 yards with another touchdown.
He’s been paired with starting running back David Montgomery, who has only rushed for 4.8 yards a carry. Still, Montgomery has added ten rushing touchdowns and has 855 yards on the ground, which is 7th in the NFL.
Add on terrific pass catchers like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Sam LaPorta, and the Lions have one of the best offenses in the NFL.
Meanwhile, the defense has allowed almost 24 points per game. Opponents have averaged 225 yards in the air and nearly 96 yards on the ground. Detroit’s secondary is weak, and the missed tackles are piling up.
Detroit has had success previously. It’s just inconsistent. They’re typically better against the run if anything.
You’d think the Vikings would want to run the football more with Nick Mullens. But against the Bengals, Mullens added 303 yards on 33 attempts. He completed nearly 79% of his attempts and added two touchdowns with two interceptions. He’s at least got Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson catching passes.
On the other hand, the Vikings have a quality secondary but are weak as a pass rush and have allowed 92 yards on the ground.
Both offenses are in good spots to succeed in this game.
The Vikings will be aggressive as they look to jump up the NFL Playoff standings. With Detroit’s NFL stats on the defense this season, Mullens could provide the Vikings with another 300-yard performance. Therefore, after looking at the Lions-Vikings odds, you should consider backing the Over 46.5 (-115) in your NFL picks and parlays.
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