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NFL Expert Picks: Vikings Favored for Season Sweep Over Lions

Dec 02, 2021 at 03:15 PM

Eric Smith

Former Team Reporter

The Vikings resume NFC North play Sunday against the Lions.

Minnesota is 5-6 overall, but 2-0 against division foes, including a Week 5 win over Detroit.

The Lions are 0-10-1 and still looking for their first victory of the season.

Let's see who the experts are picking to win the game:

Vikings 27, Lions 17 — Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com

I've been impressed with how Mike Zimmer has kept his defense looking like the usual Vikings unit despite injuries. This is the right week to be without Patrick Peterson. And the loss of Dalvin Cook hurts less because, as Zimmer noted this week, Minnesota wasn't running it well anyway. The Lions defense had some extra days of rest, hasn't given up more than 16 points in the three games since the bye and did a great job against the Vikes in Week 5. Detroit has lost by double digits only once since Week 7. With D'Andre Swift expected to be out, the talent disparity appears too great here. Could it be a rare normal Vikings game?

Vikings 24, Lions 22 — Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

The Lions will be rested after playing on Thanksgiving, while the Vikings are playing consecutive road games. Plus, they will almost certainly not have running back Dalvin Cook. The Vikings will find a way to win this game, but the Lions will keep it close, which they've done a bunch this season.

Lions 19, Vikings 17 — Bill Bender, Sporting News

It's a matchup of two of the league's worst run defenses, but Detroit's DeAndre Swift and Minnesota's Dalvin Cook could both miss because of injuries. The Lions lost a 19-17 heart-breaker in the first meeting. Could this be the time to get that first victory? Flip the score this time.

Vikings 30, Lions 20 — Michael David Smith, Pro Football Talk

The Lions nearly earned their first victory of the season the first time these teams met, but this time I'm not expecting them to put up much of a fight.

Vikings 31, Lions 17 — Mike Florio, Pro Football Talk

The dream in Minnesota of 9-8 and a one-and-done playoff berth still lives, at least for another week.

Vikings 27, Lions 20 — Staff, Bleacher Report

It won't be all deadlocks this week, but another one comes in a tough-to-read divisional matchup between the frustrated Minnesota Vikings and the feisty and well-rested Detroit Lions. The latter is getting a full touchdown at home despite having three extra days to prepare for a familiar and shorthanded foe.

It's possible the Vikings are due for a no-doubter win, and Swift's shoulder injury arguably merits as much consideration of Cook's, but it's also tough to back Minnesota by a large margin at this point.