We’ll have a lot of excitement when Week 3 of the NFL continues on Sunday, September 25, but this divisional showdown is getting plenty of attention, and here you can check out the best Lions vs. Vikings betting pick and odds.

Detroit is going to play its first road game of the new NFL season when they visit Minneapolis at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings are -6 favorites on Bovada Sportsbook, while the total is set at 52.5 points. These NFC North foes have met twice in 2021, and each time, the home team got a narrow victory.

Lions beat the Commanders thanks to an excellent first half

The Detroit Lions bounced back from a tight home defeat to the Philadelphia Eagles with a 36-27 home victory over the Washington Commanders. Detroit had a 22-0 lead at halftime, and even though Washington tried to make a comeback and cut the deficit to eight early in the fourth quarter, the Lions didn’t allow them to complete a comeback.

Jared Goff was impressive with four passing touchdowns after completing 20 of 34 passes. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught two of those TD passes and ended the clash with 112 on nine receptions (12 targets). Josh Reynolds and D’Andre Swift also scored in the air, while St. Brown led all the runners with 68 yards on two rushes. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2022 Draft, DE Aidan Hutchinson, tormented Washington’s O-Line with three sacks, while Malcolm Rodriguez, Mike Hughes, and Will Harris contributed with eight tackles apiece.

C Frank Ragnow (groin) and TE T.J. Hockenson (hip) are questionable to play on Sunday, while G Jonah Jackson (finger) and DE John Cominsky (thumb) are out indefinitely.

Vikings disappointed in a loss to the Eagles

The Minnesota Vikings displayed a strong Week 1 performance in a win over the divisional foes Green Bay Packers, but it was all the contrary in Week 2 against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road. The Vikings were inferior for the majority of the game; they totaled only 264 yards opposite Philly’s 486, while Minnesota committed three turnovers.

It was 24-7 for Philadelphia at halftime, and that result remained in the end. Kirk Cousins completed 27 of 46 passes for 221 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Irv Smith Jr. got that only TD pass from Cousins, while Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson combined for 100 yards on ten receptions. Minnesota’s run offense wasn’t effective; Cousins was the team’s rushing leader with 20 yards, while Dalvin Cook had just 17 on six rushes. Harrison Smith was a monster on defense with 13 total tackles (all solos).

The Vikings will be without their Pro Bowl safety Harrison Smith, who has been placed in concussion protocol and will miss Sunday’s game against Detroit.

Trends:

Detroit:

  • 3-6 ATS in the last nine games against Minnesota
  • 7-19 ATS in the last 26 games after allowing more than 250 yards passing in their previous game

Minnesota:

  • 4-1 ATS in the last five home games
  • 5-2 ATS in the last seven games following an ATS loss

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings Pick  

I was disappointed with Minnesota’s offensive performance last week in Philadelphia and I fully expect the Vikings to respond in this one and score 30+ points against Detroit. The Lions have the second-worst defense so far that allows 32.5 ppg, but the Vikings need to include all three of their primary offensive weapons: Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook. Also, Cousins must cut his turnovers. Although the Vikings will be without Harrison Smith, I am backing the home team’s defense to make more stops than Detroit, while Minnesota’s offense is better than the Lions’.

Pick: Take the Vikings at -5.5 (-120)

The Total

The Lions do have the second-worst defense in the NFL, but they have the second-best offense that scores 35.5 points on average. Now when the Vikings are without Harrison Smith, Jared Goff will get an opportunity to throw multiple TD passes, while Amon-Ra St. Brown could have another big game. On the other hand, I expect Jefferson, Thielen, and Cook to combine for 200+ yards in a high-scoring affair. Over is 4-0 in the Lions’ last four games overall; Over is 4-0 in Detroit’s previous four vs. NFC opponents, while Over is 7-3 in the Vikings’ last ten games overall.

Pick: Go Over 52.5 points (-110)