The Detroit Lions (11-5) will look to finish an impressive regular season on a high note when they take on the Minnesota Vikings (7-9) on Sunday afternoon. Detroit had its two-game winning streak snapped in a 20-19 loss to Dallas last week, but it has already clinched the NFC North title. The Lions currently sit in third place in the NFC, but the Cowboys and Eagles are also 11-5 heading into Week 18, so Detroit could move into second place if those two teams lose. Minnesota needs a win and three more to sneak into the final NFC Wild Card spot.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on Sunday at Ford Field. Detroit is favored by 3.5 points in the latest Lions vs. Vikings odds, while the over/under is set at 45.5 points, according to the SportsLine consensus. Before entering into any Vikings vs. Lions picks, you’ll want to see the NFL predictions from the model at SportsLine.
The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, costs well over $7,000 for $100 players among the NFL’s highest-rated picks since its inception. The model enters Week 18 of the 2023 NFL season on an incredible 181-129 streak on top-rated NFL picks dating back to the 2017 season. He’s also on a 35-21 run among highest-rated picks in the NFL since Week 7 of last season.
The model has also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the last six years on straight NFL picks and has beaten more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick’em players four times during that span. Anyone who followed him is at the top.
The model has set its sights on Minnesota-Detroit. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Here are several NFL betting lines for the game:
- Lions vs. Vikings breakdown: Lions -3.5
- Lions vs. Vikings plus/minus: 45.5 points
- Money line Lions vs. Vikings: Lions -188, Vikings +156
- Lions vs. Vikings Picks: See the picks here
- Lions vs Vikings live stream: fubo (try free)
Why the Lions can cover
Detroit went on the road and beat Minnesota two weeks ago to clinch its first division title since 1993. The Lions had their two-game winning streak snapped in a 20-19 loss to Dallas last week , but they still covered the gap to 4.5-point underdogs. They’ve now covered the spread in four of their last five games, and they’ve covered the spread in 13 of their last 18 games against NFC opponents.
This has been a profitable matchup for Detroit in recent years, as the Lions have covered the spread in each of the last six meetings between these teams. Divisional games have been a strength for Detroit, which has covered 12 of its last 15 games against teams in the NFC North. Head coach Dan Campbell will ensure his players finish the regular season strong and don’t lose momentum heading into the playoffs.
Why the Vikings can cover
The Lions are essentially locked into the No. 3 seed, as they would need Philadelphia and Dallas to both lose this weekend. That could make it a low energy place for Detroit, especially after losing to the Cowboys in heartbreaking fashion last week. Meanwhile, Minnesota is in a must-win position to keep its playoff hopes alive.
The Vikings have won nine of the last 12 meetings between these teams and have covered the spread in six of their last nine games against NFC opponents. Receiver Justin Jefferson needs 118 yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the fourth straight season, despite missing seven games with a hamstring injury. He had six catches for 141 yards and a touchdown against the Lions two weeks ago. Find out which team to choose here.
How to make Lions vs. Vikings picks
The model has simulated the Vikings vs. Lions 10,000 times and the results are in. The model leans and it also generated a point pick that hits in almost 60% of simulations. You can only see the pick on SportsLine.
So who wins the Lions against the Vikings, and which side of the spread reaches nearly 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Vikings vs. Lions spread you should be on Sunday, all from the model on a 181-129 outcome on its top-rated NFL picks, and find out.
