Certainly, few teams in preseason got as much bet on NFL hype as Minnesota. With the arrival of quarterback Kirk Cousins, it was figured that the Vikings had the final missing piece of their Super Bowl puzzle. After all, Minnesota made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game without Cousins. But so far, the Vikings are struggling to keep their heads above water. Detroit also generated a lot of preseason excitement with new head coach Matt Patricia. Balanced against that is a team culture of mediocrity. Patricia is discovering what is the Lions coaching graveyard.
Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
Date and Time: Sunday, November 4, 2018, 1 p.m. ET
Location: US Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Bet on NFL odds at SBG:
| Team | Spread | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | +4½ (-110) | 49 (-115) |  |
| Vikings | -4½ (-110) | 49 (-105) | |
| |||
Lions vs. Vikings TV Coverage: FOX
Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota is 4-3-1 straight up and 4-3-1 vs. the line with a 4-4 split on totals. Last week the Vikings lost at home to New Orleans 30-20. As a result a three game straight up winning streak was snapped. Also, it was the first time in five games that Minnesota lost to the odds. Overall the Vikings rank ninth in the NFL for total offense and tenth for defense. Of great concern is a rushing attack that ranks 29th in the league. Cousins has delivered so far with a 102.5 rating, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Detroit Lions
Detroit has a record of 3-4 straight up but an impressive 5-2 against the spread. Additionally, the Lions have gone over the total five times. Last time out Detroit was handled at home by Seattle 28-14. Correspondingly it was the Lions first loss vs. the line in six games. It follows that Detroit ranks 16th overall for total offense and 19th for total defense. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has a 98.5 rating with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions.
Stats to Consider
Detroit has been a solid bet on NFL value getting points of the road. In fact, the Lions have lost just three of their last 11 in that role. Just one of their last nine as away pups have gone under the total. In this situation Minnesota has dropped in ability to pay as a home chalk. To show, the Vikings have failed to pay in four of their last five as a favorite at US Bank Stadium. Five of their last seven as a home favorite of gone under the total.
Team vs. Team
Detroit has had the recent offshore bookmaker wagering advantage in their series with Minnesota. Consider the Lions three payouts in their last four games in this matchup. Also, the Lions and Vikings have gone under the total in seven of their last nine tilts. Correlate Detroit’s success at US Bank Stadium. The Lions have come away with the money in three of their last four visits to Minnesota. The last five between these teams in the Twin Cities went under the total.
Matchup to Watch
As mentioned earlier this is a bet on NFL Matchup of inconsistent teams. In particular the dog always makes sense in that situation. Detroit also has the proven ability to get the money against Minnesota.
Lions vs. Vikings Bet on NFL Picks
In sum the Lions look like the better value in this meeting of up and down teams.
Lions vs. Vikings Bet on NFL Pick: Detroit Lions
Lions vs Vikings Bet on NFL Score Prediction: Lions 27, Vikings 28
Follow the NFL!