The Detroit Lions boosted their playoff credentials when they blasted the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday to record just their third winning season since the year 2000. They can improve on their mark even further and keep pace with the streaking Green Bay Packers when they face the Minnesota Vikings who are themselves finding some late-season mojo, having won four of their last six games.
Read on for a complete preview of this NFC North matchup and while you’re at it, you can check out our previews of Cowboys vs. Eagles and Patriots vs. Dolphins.
[sc:Football ]Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions Betting Preview
When: Sunday, December 14, 4:25 PM ET
Where: Ford Field, Detroit
Line: Minnesota Vikings (+7.5) at Detroit Lions (-7.5); total: 43.0 – view all NFL lines
Betting on the Minnesota Vikings
Barring any sort of miracle, the Minnesota Vikings unfortunately will find themselves out of the playoff picture for the second year running. However, the signs are encouraging that the Vikings will soon contend for the Vince Lombardi trophy and become relevant once again in the very near future.
[sc:NFL240banner ]Boosting that belief is the play of their quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and the maturity he has shown during his rookie year. Case in point: Minnesota’s last game against the New York Jets. For majority of the game, Bridgewater had trouble solving the Jets’ zero blitzes against him.
But when Jets head coach Rex Ryan decided to implement that same defensive strategy in overtime, Bridgewater was wiser to it. Even though the Vikings had a longer pass called, Bridgewater had an option to check the screen. And when the Jets showed their pressure a bit too early, the rookie quarterback audibled the screen play and what transpired was the second-longest overtime passing touchdown in NFL history, an 87-yard game-winning pass to Jarius Wright that sent the Vikings to their second consecutive win.
He can help extend Minnesota’s winning streak to a season-best three games when they face the Detroit Lions at Ford Field this coming Sunday. Bridgewater, who’s averaging 213.6 passing yards per game, will have a tall task, though, against a Lions secondary that has allowed only 18 passing touchdowns this season, sixth-best in the NFL.
Still, the aerial route might be the way to go for the Vikings offensively, especially with the Lions possessing the best rushing defense in the league today, allowing a measly 62.8 yards per game on the ground this season.
Fortunately for the Vikings, Bridgewater is starting to find some chemistry with his receivers Jarius Wright and Charles Johnson. Both receivers surpassed the 100-yard mark in their last game against the Jets with Wright bagging 123 yards and a touchdown and Johnson tallying 103 yards and a score as well. They became the first pair of Vikings’ players with 100 yards receiving in the same game since Randy Moss and Nate Burleson did it back in 2004.
The duo’s emergence will definitely improve Minnesota’s passing game which yielded just 143 yards in their 17-3 defeat to Detroit in their first encounter last October 12. The Vikings are currently third-worst in the NFL in passing offense with an average of just 194.8 YPG.
The Vikings are 3-3 ATS on the road this season.
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Betting on the Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions staked a major claim in the NFC North race with a convincing 34-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to go a game behind the Green Bay Packers for the division lead. Igniting this late-season run for the Lions has been their star wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
After battling a variety of injuries in the middle of the season, Megatron is back to full fitness and that has shown in the last two games, averaging 152 passing yards with three touchdowns in Detroit’s last two assignments.
Benefiting from Johnson’s return to form is quarterback Matthew Stafford who is playing some of his best football this season with Megatron back in tow. Stafford completed 26 of 34 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions against the Bucs Sunday which follows his 34 of 45 showing (390 yards) against the Bears.
Their connection was evident in their game against the Bucs where Stafford went 8-for-9 for 158 yards and a touchdown while targeting Johnson. The duo will have a battle in their hands, though, this coming Sunday when they face the Vikings whose secondary is sixth-best in the NFL in passing defense this season. The Vikings are allowing an average of just 220.8 passing yards per assignment through 13 games this year.
The Lions, though, possess a balanced offensive attack that may pose some serious problems for the Vikings. The Lions showed that they have a running game to complement their passing attack as they gained a total of 113 yards on the ground Sunday against the Bucs. Joique Bell led the way for Detroit as he pounded the Bucs’ defensive line with 83 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
He will fancy his chances of inflicting the same damage against a Vikings D-line that is 23rd in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 127.2 yards per game on the ground this season.
The Lions are 6-1 SU at home this season.
Writer’s Prediction
The Lions (-7.5) pound the Vikings, 37-17, to extend their winning streak to three games.
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