The Last Word on the Vikings at Lions Prediction
The Minnesota Vikings’ underdog point spread will end before Week 9 at 8.5 points, as sportsbooks believe the Detroit Lions will win somewhat handily.
Each week of the regular season, we asked a group of Vikings fans to pick the winner and score, and this week, that mission takes the panel to Detroit.
And it just so happens that even the loyalest of Vikings fans agree.
We asked purple fans to predict the score and winner from Week 9 in Ford Field, and the group isn’t enthused.
Fans Predict Vikings at Lions
Avert your eyes.
Score Picks for DET-MIN
Uncharacteristically, fans are not expecting Minnesota to win, and in fact, the game may not be too close, according to them.
Bruce Johnson | @sachikojohnson: DET Wins, 34-15
Chris | @skol227: DET Wins, 35-10
Eric Horstman | @ehorstman23, DET Wins, 45-13
Ivan the Czar | @up4discussion_7: DET Wins, 30-3
Jens | @rednpurple77: DET Wins, 28-24
Skol Tom | @SkolFrom WI: MIN Wins, 31-23
Steve Berglund | @VikesIn18: DET Wins, 31-17
Tadd | @ST7CUbs: DET Wins, 38-20
In Week 8, Eric Horstman and Skol Tom most accurately forecasted the events in Los Angeles, picking the Vikings to lose by four. The Chargers won by 27.
Season-Long Standing Entering Week 9
Jens: 5-2
Eric Horstman: 5-2
Bruce Johnson: 4-3
Skol Tom: 4-3
Ivan, the Czar: 3-4
Steve Berglund: 3-4
Tadd: 3-4
Chris: 2-5
Jens from Norway and Horstman moved into a tie for first place, forecasting accurately 71% of the time. Too bad the Vikings can’t share that 5-2 record.
Consensus Score Prediction
Between all eight fans, the group believes the Vikings will lose in Detroit by a score of 33-17. It’s a change of pace for this panel, which usually boasts the utmost positivity and eternal optimism. Not this week.
It’s worth noting that Minnesota hasn’t won a game at Ford Field since the pandemic season.
Outside Predictions
The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis chose Detroit by 11 and wrote, “I’m going to go with something less about the big picture and more about this matchup. The Vikings haven’t beaten the Lions since September 2022. They’ve lost five straight. Turnovers have been a primary issue. Detroit is plus-five in the turnover margin in the six games between O’Connell and Lions head coach Dan Campbell.”
“Offensively, Minnesota has been explosive in the passing game but unable to run the ball with any sustainable efficiency. Defensively, the Lions have had trouble on the ground, but they’re averaging a whopping 8.1 yards per pass attempt. All of this is to say: The Lions have had the Vikings’ number. Going into Detroit and snatching a victory, given the circumstances, would be an energy boost bordering on rocket-propulsion levels. It’s not easy to find the path, but a win would go a long way toward altering the NFC North dynamics in a meaningful way.”
At the same site, Jon Krawczynski picked Minnesota to lose by 17 and explained about his biggest concern right now, “That this season is slipping away. The defense is faltering, the offensive line is a mess, and no one knows what McCarthy is going to do. The Lions are the new standard in the division, and the Vikings suddenly have the feel of an organization that is flailing a bit. One or two wins can turn things around quickly in a league where so much importance is put on each performance. But this team is hard to watch right now.”
“Lamar Jackson has returned from injury in Baltimore. The Bears are showing signs of life under Ben Johnson. The Packers seem to be finding their groove. The Sam Darnold revenge game looms at the end of November. This is a very thorny path forward for the Vikings over the next month. If they don’t figure something out, it could get ugly quickly.”
For context, the Vikings could rise from the ashes if they toppled the Lions while McCarthy played like a stud. A blowout defeat, as forecasted by some of our panel, would create hot seat chatter for the team’s leadership.
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