Pundits Line Up with Grim Forecast for Vikings
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The Minnesota Vikings have everything on the line by regular season standards this Sunday, taking on the Detroit Lions for the NFC North crown, the NFCās No. 1 seed, and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Itās arguably the most important regular season game in franchise history.
Pundits Line Up with Grim Forecast for Vikings
The Lions are favored to prevail by two or three points.
Detroit wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) makes a catch against Chicago Bears cornerback Tyrique Stevenson (29) during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. Ā© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
And thatās the sportsbook forecast, but NFL punditsā predictions arenāt much different. In short, the whoās who of NFL analysis believe the Vikings will lose on Sunday night. Theyāre the underdog.
CBS Sportsā Pete Prisco picked Detroit to beat Minnesota by a score of 34-33 and explained: āThis is the game of the week, the winner getting the top seed in the NFC. Both teams can score ā a lot. The difference is the Vikings have a little better defense. But the home field will be at play here and be the difference. I think the Vikings keep it close, but the Lions will win it.ā
Shaun Brooks-Imagn Images.
The Vikings havenāt defeated the Lions since early in the 2022 regular season, losing the last four matchups. If there were ever a time for the purple team to return to its majesty of defeating the Lions, itās now.
Sporting Newsā Vinnie Iyer also picked Detroit, with a 34-31 score, and noted, āThe Vikings have pushed the Lions to the limit like no one expected, but the play of Sam Darnold and Brian Floresā defense has them well positioned. The Lions, however, will be ready to smash at home one last time to win a high-scoring affair with the better closing running game.ā
Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Minnesota has won nine consecutive games after dropping two following the bye in Week 6. In fact, quarterback Sam Darnold encountered a missed facemask penalty in Week 8 at the Los Angeles Rams, everyone agreed the no-call was egregious, and the Vikings havenāt lost since.
Finally, Pro Football Network, too, tabbed the Lions for a three-point triumph and wrote: āThe metrics peg these two sides as relatively even, with the Lions having a slight advantage overall. Both have top-five defenses on the season, with the Vikings narrowly ahead. Detroitās offense ranks top two entering Monday Night Football, while Minnesota sits 10th. The Lions have also played the 12th-toughest schedule compared to the 21st for the Vikings.ā
Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images.
Not for nothing: many pundits picked the Green Bay Packers last weekend to down the Vikings, and that didnāt happen.
Minnesota has never won exactly 14 games in a season. It is 14-2 right now.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, āThe Sopranos,ā Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.Ā
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
