Getty Kirk Cousins looks on during a 2022 Vikings game vs. Dallas.
The Detroit Lions were slight underdogs against the Jacksonville Jaguars entering Week 13, and all they did is respond for a blowout win. This week, folks aren’t making the same mistake to underrate them.
Despite the fact that the Vikings are 10-2 on the season, they’re actually seen as underdogs for their road matchup against Detroit this week. The Lions are favored narrowly, by about 2.5 points.
That line may drop by game day, but essentially, the biggest and most important game for the Lions this year is now a pick ’em in the eyes of Las Vegas. That fact has the attention of several in league circles.
Actor and major Vikings fan Josh Duhamel was one of the folks that was stunned by the news that his team was not favored for the road matchup.
Lions favored by 2.5 over Vikings this week. WTF? We are the Rodney Dangerfields of the NFL and I’m okay with it. Keep underestimating the Vikings. SKOL!!
“Lions favored by 2.5 over Vikings this week. WTF? We are the Rodney Dangerfields of the NFL and I’m okay with it. Keep underestimating the Vikings. SKOL!,” Duhamel tweeted.
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes was also interested to note that the Lions were favorited over the Vikings, and shared a funny tweet to prove it.
5-7 Lions favored over the 10-2 Vikings this week??
“5-7 Lions favored over the 10-2 Vikings this week??,” Kimes tweeted, along with a bemused photo of Mike McDaniel.
Some, including analyst Kay Adams, were shocked by the news given the records of the teams at this point.
Wait… the Lions (5-7) are the favorite over the Vikings (10-2)???!!!
Wowwwwww @FDSportsbook 🧐
“Wait… the Lions (5-7) are the favorite over the Vikings (10-2)???!!! Wowwwwww,” Adams tweeted.
Some, including Dave Kluge, found the line “objectively hilarious” for the weekend contest.
The 10-2 Vikings being 2.5-point underdogs against the 5-7 Lions is objectively hilarious.
“The 10-2 Vikings being 2.5-point underdogs against the 5-7 Lions is objectively hilarious,” Kluge tweeted.
No matter what anyone thinks, there’s more than one reason that Minnesota is going to have a fierce battle on their hands for this contest. Looking beneath the surface, there could be some easy explanations as to why this is the case.
Lions Playing Vikings Tough Lately
Perhaps the betting market seems to understand where things have gone between the sides lately. The trend is close games in the series, and that’s been true even as the Vikings have racked up an impressive win-loss record head-to-head in the series.
Since 2019, the Vikings are 7-1 against the Lions. All of the games, however, have been decided by 14 points or less including this season’s four point squeaker in Minnesota. If not for a two point 19-17 road loss, the Lions would have swept the Vikings in 2021. Detroit did rally for a 29-27 win at Ford Field late in the season.
Right now, the Lions are rolling, winners of four out of five games. The Vikings are a fantastic team and are in the NFC North’s driver seat, but it’s likely the sharps see a series that has been very close when combined with a Lions team that is suddenly winning some games.
Add it up and many think the Lions, who have been very close against Minnesota, finally turn the corner and win the game this time around.
Lions vs. Vikings a Huge Game
This season, the Lions have already played the Vikings one time. It was a game that Detroit dominated to start, and at one point, the Lions led Minnesota 14-0 and then later 24-14 deeper in the game.
The Lions melted down in a big way in the fourth quarter, though, and ended up losing 28-24 due to allowing the Vikings’ 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. It was a game that was frustrating, but did show that the Lions could compete with the best of the best teams in the league and come close to winning in Week 3.
Detroit has a chance to prove that their loss to Minnesota earlier was a fluke on their end. Interestingly enough, the Lions are on a one game win streak against Minnesota at Ford Field, having beaten them in 2021 29-27 for their first win in early December.
A close series and a surprising line only add more intrigue into what might quietly be one of the top NFL games to watch on Sunday afternoon.