Our Staff Prediction for Lions at Vikings

Our Staff Prediction for Lions at Vikings
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports.

The VikingsTerritory collective staff prediction for the Minnesota Vikings date with the Detroit Lions is ready.

The Vikings can hit a 2-1 record for the first time since 2019, incidentally the last time Minnesota reached the playoffs. Detroit is 1-8 against Minnesota since 2017. It won a squeaker in Detroit last year, thanks to a defensive collapse at the end of the game — a common practice for the 2021 Vikings.

The writers at VikingsTerritory predict the Vikings will win their second game of 2022.

Don't Look Now, but Vikings OL Was Somewhat Good.
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

All of our contributors picked Minnesota over Detroit, evidently confident in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s ability to bounce back from adversity.

Here’s how the panel sees the score for Week 3:

Dustin Baker: Vikings Win, 34-17
Sean Borman: Vikings Win, 17-16
Janik Eckardt: Vikings Win, 30-20
Josh Frey: Vikings Win, 42-31
Will Goodwin: Vikings Win, 33-21
Kyle Joudry: Vikings Win, 27-21
Mitch Massman: Vikings Win, 34-31
Adam New: Vikings Win, 27-20
Ted Schwerzler: Vikings Win, 28-13
Ali Siddiqui: Vikings Win, 33-20
Cole Smith: Vikings Win, 31-27

Mathematically en masse, we predict the Vikings top the Lions by a score of 31-21.

Raiders Sign Former Vikings CB
Nov 8, 2020; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson (88) scores a touchdown as Minnesota Vikings defensive back Chris Jones. © Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports.

Here are the season standings for our writers’ predictions:

Dustin Baker: 2-0
Sean Borman: 2-0
Josh Frey: 2-0
Will Goodwin: 2-0
Mitch Massman: 2-0
Adam New: 2-0
Janik Eckardt: 1-1
Ted Schwerzler: 1-1
Ali Siddiqui: 1-1
Cole Smith: 1-1
Kyle Joudry: 0-2

Josh Frey most accurately predicted the score of the last game as he chose the Eagles to win by 7. Minnesota lost by 17.

The Vikings are currently six-point favorites to defeat the Lions in Minneapolis on Sunday. Since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, the Vikings are 31-18 (.633) in Week 3 games. It’s the 3rd-best record in the league in such games during the timeframe.


Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).




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