The Detroit Lions will face off against the Minnesota Vikings at 1:00 ET on Sunday, October 20th. This matchup is being played at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

With the Lions and Vikings both looking to improve their records, this week seven NFC North matchup will take place at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. The Vikings are favored at -133 on the money line and -2.5 on the point spread. Kickoff is set for 1:00 ET, and the over/under line is at 49.5 points. The game will be televised on FOX.

• Date: Sunday, October 20th
• Time: 1:00 ET
• Location: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
• TV: FOX

Lions vs Vikings

Heading into week 7, the Lions sit atop our NFL power rankings, and we give them an 86.2% chance of making the playoffs and a 41.4% chance of winning the NFC North. Detroit is currently on a three-game winning streak, including a dominant 47-9 road win over the Cowboys in week 6. They also beat the Seahawks in week 4 and the Cardinals in week 3, bouncing back from a week 2 loss to the Buccaneers.

Against the spread, the Lions are 4-1 this season, covering in three straight games. They were favored in all of their matchups, including their 38-point win over the Cowboys, where they were 3.5-point favorites. The over has hit in two consecutive Lions games, including week 6, when the teams combined for 56 points, surpassing the 53.5-point line.

The Vikings head into week 7 vs. the Lions looking to remain undefeated, currently sitting at 5-0. Minnesota ranks 8th in our NFL power rankings and has an 86.2% chance of making the playoffs, along with a 37.1% chance of winning the NFC North. So far, they are 1-0 in division games and 3-0 in conference matchups. They also have a +12.6 scoring margin and are 5-0 against the spread, covering in two games as the favorite and three as the underdog.

In week 5, the Vikings beat the Jets 23-17, covering the 2.5-point spread. The combined scoring of 40 points fell short of the 42-point line. Minnesota’s O/U record is 1-4 this season. Their games have averaged 43 points, while the average line has been 44.2.

Lions Injury Report

• Marcus Davenport – Elbow (Out)
• Carlton Davis – Head (Questionable)
• Tre’Quan Smith – Undisclosed (Out)
• Emmanuel Moseley – Pectoral (Out)
• Michael Badgley – Hamstring (Out)
• Kyle Peko – Pectoral (Out)
• John Cominsky – Knee (Out)
• David Bada – Achilles (Out)
• Netane Muti – Shoulder (Out)
• Aidan Hutchinson – Tibia (Out)
• Ifeatu Melifonwu – Ankle (Out)
• Derrick Barnes – Knee (Out)
• Connor Galvin – Knee (Out)
• Antoine Green – Concussion (Out)
• Brodric Martin – Knee (Out)
• Christian Mahogany – Illness (Questionable)
• Nate Lynn – Shoulder (Out)

Vikings Injury Report

• Jordan Kunaszyk – Undisclosed (Out)
• T.J. Hockenson – Knee (Questionable)
• Dalton Risner – Back (Questionable)
• Aaron Jones – Hip (Questionable)
• Jeremy Flax – Undisclosed (Out)
• Gabriel Murphy – Undisclosed (Out)
• NaJee Thompson – Knee (Out)
• J.J. McCarthy – Knee (Out)
• Mekhi Blackmon – Knee (Out)
• Nick Muse – Hand (Out)

Lions Offense Breakdown

Heading into week 7, the Lions sit 3rd in our offensive power rankings. They lead the NFL in scoring, averaging 30.2 points per game, and rank 3rd in total yards with 416 per game. Despite being 19th in passing attempts, they are 4th in passing yards, averaging 258.2 per game. They also rank 4th in rushing yards, with 157.8 per game on 33 attempts, which ranks 3rd in the league.

Jared Goff has been on fire, posting a passer rating of 153 in week 6, with 315 yards and 3 touchdowns against the Cowboys. In week 4, he had a perfect 18/18 passing for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns. Jameson Williams led the team with 76 receiving yards in week 6, while David Montgomery rushed for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 carries.

Vikings Offense Breakdown

Sam Darnold had a rough outing in week 5, posting a passer rating of 50 after going 14 of 31 for 179 yards and an interception against the Jets. Before that, he threw for 275 yards and 3 touchdowns in week 4 and had a 4-touchdown game in week 3. Justin Jefferson has been Darnold’s top target, with 6 catches for 92 yards in week 5, following 85 yards in week 4 and 81 yards in week 3.

Heading into week 7, the Vikings rank 12th in our offensive power rankings. They are 5th in the NFL in points per game, averaging 27.8, and lead the league in first-quarter scoring. On the ground, they average 115.4 rushing yards per game, ranking 20th in the league.

Lions Team Defense

The Lions’ defense was dominant in their 47-9 win over the Cowboys, holding Dallas to just 53 yards on 17 rushing attempts. Detroit’s defense allowed only 198 passing yards and forced the Cowboys to a 23.1% third-down conversion rate. They also came away with three interceptions and didn’t allow a passing touchdown.

The Lions’ defense pressured the quarterback throughout the game, finishing with four sacks and winning the quarterback hit differential by +4. Despite giving up 251 total yards, they kept the Cowboys out of the endzone and limited them to only 3.1 yards per attempt on the ground.

Vikings Team Defense

The Vikings’ defense played well in their most recent game, coming up with three interceptions and holding the Jets to just 17 points in a 23-17 win. Minnesota’s run defense was particularly strong, allowing only 36 yards on 14 attempts. Against the pass, they gave up 218 yards and two touchdowns, but the Jets completed just 53.7% of their passes.

Minnesota’s defense also forced the Jets into a tough third-down situation, allowing only a 29.4% conversion rate. They recorded three sacks and held the Jets to just 2.6 yards per attempt on the ground.

Lions vs Vikings Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Lions offense has averaged 26 points per game while allowing an average of 23. Detroit posted an overall record of 6-4 while going 8-2 ATS.
• When looking at their past five home matchups, Minnesota has an ATS record of 2-1-2 while averaging 21 per game. The team went 3-2 overall in these games.
• As the betting underdog, the Lions have an ATS mark of just 9-1 in their last ten games. Detroit posted a straight up mark of 6-4 in these matchups.
• Against the spread, the Vikings have put together of 2-2-1 in their last five games as the betting favorite. In these same games, they went 3-2 straight up.

Lions vs Vikings Prediction

With the point spread at 2.5 in favor of the Lions, we are taking them to not only cover but win this matchup by a score of 25-21. Our pick vs. the spread is to take the Lions as the road underdogs.

For the over/under, with the line sitting at 49.5 points, our recommendation is to take the under, with a projected combined score of 46 points.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.