Desperate Teams: Vikings-Lions Betting Odds, Picks, Prediction

The Detroit Lions face a team also desperate for a win when they host the Minnesota Vikings at 1 p.m. Sunday at Ford Field.

At 0-10-1, the Lions want a victory for obvious reasons. However, the Vikings (5-6) need a win, too, as they are in the hunt for a playoff berth.

The Lions came oh so close to a win when they visited the Vikings in Week 5. However, Greg Joseph nailed a 54-yard field goal as time expired to give Minnesota a 19-17 victory.

The Lions had gone ahead 17-16 with 37 seconds left on D’Andre Swift’s 7-yard touchdown run and Jared Goff’s two-point conversion pass to KhaDarel Hodge.

That gave the Vikings eight straight wins in the series after the Lions had won five of the previous seven matchups.

Here are the lines for Vikings-Lions at Barstool Sportsbook:

Spread: Vikings -7 (-114), Lions +7 (-107)

Moneyline: Vikings -305, Lions +235

Over/Under: 46.5 O (-110), U (-110)

Lions Betting Preview

Both teams are likely to be without their top running backs as Swift and the Vikings’ Dalvin Cook have shoulder injuries.

Swift was limited to three carries and zero yards in the Lions’ last game, a 16-14 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving. Swift had rushed for 130 yards in a tie with the Pittsburgh Steelers and 136 yards against the Cleveland Browns in his previous two games.

Overall, Swift has 555 yards and four touchdowns on the ground while also catching 56 passes for 429 yards and two scores.

Cook got hurt last Sunday when the Vikings lost to the San Francisco 49ers. He had 39 yards on 10 carries.

For the season, Cook has rushed for 773 yards and four TDs and has 27 receptions for 202 yards.

Jamal Williams could handle the bulk of the running game for the Lions even if Swift is cleared to play. Williams had 65 yards on 15 carries on Thanksgiving along with five receptions.

Williams has two 100-yard games in his career and a potentially favorable matchup against the Vikings, who are 30th in the league in run defense.

Vikings backup running back Alexander Mattison had 145 yards from scrimmage – 95 rushing, 50 receiving – and two touchdowns against the Lions in last year’s season finale. In the two games he has started this season, Mattison finished with 173 total yards against the Seattle Seahawks and 153 versus the Lions.

Lions Bets We Like

Vikings -7 (-114) Barstool Sportsbook

The Lions have been playing teams close lately, following a tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a three-point loss to the Browns and a two-point defeat to the Bears. So don’t expect the Vikings to take the Lions lightly, especially when they need all the wins they can get to bolster their postseason hopes.

Kirk Cousins over 275.5 yards passing (-115) DraftKings

Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins always looks at home in Detroit. The Holland, Mich., native and former Michigan State standout has thrown 11 touchdown passes and no interception in four career starts at Ford Field with 1,297 yards.

Lions Prediction

A case can be made that the Vikings could be 11-0 as each of their six losses have been by eight points or less and a total of 26 points. Even without Cook, look for the Vikings to overpower the Lions with the combination of Cousins and Mattison.

Vikings 34, Lions 23