Vikings vs. Lions Predictions Roundup: Vikings Expected to Stay Perfect at Home
Coming off of another hard-fought road loss – their fourth in seven road games – the Vikings are back at U.S. Bank Stadium this weekend, looking to move to 6-0 in their home building. Only the Vikings and Patriots are undefeated at home in 2019.
Standing in the way of another home win are the 3-8-1 Detroit Lions, who are on their third quarterback of the season. With Matthew Stafford and backup Jeff Driskel injured, rookie David Blough will make his first career road start on Sunday. The Vikings are 13-point favorites, and will look to avoid the same slow start that befell them the last time they faced a backup quarterback at home.
Here's what the national predicts will happen on Sunday.
Gregg Rosenthal, NFL.com: Vikings 28, Lions 16
"Facing a third-string quarterback and a 29th-string defense is exactly what Minnesota needs in this short week after losing its left tackle, running back and a winnable game in Seattle. Vikings fans should be concerned that Mike Zimmer's defense was so easy for the Seahawks to push around, but it's hard to imagine undrafted rookie David Blough and Bo Scarbrough having enough firepower to expose the unit in Minnesota."
Courtney Cronin, ESPN Vikings Reporter: Vikings 37, Lions 20
"What to watch for: Minnesota running back Dalvin Cook says he'll be ready to go despite dealing with a chest injury he aggravated twice in Seattle. But if Cook is ruled out or is on a pitch count, expect a breakout game from rookie Alexander Mattison, who has shown he's fully capable and ready to shoulder a starter's workload."
Michael Rothstein, ESPN Lions Reporter: Vikings 31, Lions 17
"Bold prediction: Lions quarterback David Blough is sacked seven times Sunday, bringing back memories of last year when the Vikings sacked Matthew Stafford 10 times. Blough was fun to watch on Thanksgiving, but Vikings coach Mike Zimmer knows how to scheme against quarterbacks, and the Lions."
Todd Haislop, Sporting News: Vikings 27, Lions 17
"This is a monsterous line for a division rivalry, which says a lot about the state of the Lions. Even as they play with third-string quarterback David Blough, Detroit's struggles are more about defense, and that unit is set up for a rough day against a Vikings offense that should get Adam Thielen back in the lineup. Detroit can't slow down Minnesota on the field or in the chase for the NFC North title."
Cody Benjamin, CBS Sports: Vikings 31, Lions 23
"Forget the critics. Kirk Cousins is having himself a fine season. This should be a great chance for him to ignite the rest of the offense. But a 13-point spread in an NFC North game? Even David Blough should be able to move the ball against Minnesota's secondary."
Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: Vikings 27, Lions 17
"The Vikings are coming off a Monday night loss, so they are playing on a short week, while the Lions have added rest after playing on Thanksgiving. It won't matter. Minnesota's defense, which was bad against Seattle, will play better here against David Blaugh. The Vikings get back on track."
Bleacher Report: Vikings 30, Lions 14
"The Minnesota Vikings are back in their comfort zone: Sunday afternoon, at home, against a bad team. They have their well-documented problems in prime time, on the road and against good teams. But they're 4-0 in 1 p.m. ET kickoffs at U.S. Bank Stadium. The first three of those victories came by 16-plus points each, while in the fourth they outscored the Broncos 27-3 in the second half to complete an epic comeback. The Vikes are due for a blowout win. After winning an NFC-best six of their first eight outings by double-digit margins, they've played four consecutive one-score games. But that earlier stretch included a 12-point victory over the Lions in Detroit, and it's essentially been downhill since then for Minnesota's Week 14 opponent."
Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk: Vikings 31, Lions 13
"A get-right game for the Vikings against a Lions team that is playing out the string in potential a haze of business decisions."
