Lions at Vikings: Preview, Predictions, and More

Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings

Given every opportunity to separate from the rest of the division; the Minnesota Vikings once again had another meltdown, this time in front of a national audience on Halloween night. In Week 9, they’ll head back home to U.S. Bank Stadium to try and rebound. But another divisional foe will be coming into town in the Detroit Lions.

Must Read: Picks Against the Spread for Each Week 9 Game

Was it the Halloween holiday that may have spooked the Vikings last week? Or maybe it was another instance of how they have been notoriously bad in primetime games? Or is it as simple as Minnesota wearing the away jerseys for the second-straight game? Excuses fall on deaf ears; Minnesota fans want answers and quickly.

Detroit on the other hand, remains streaky and undecided which side of the result they want to be on. The Lions were given every single opportunity to at least tie the Houston Texans, but Detroit just couldn’t capitalize on the road.

Now Matthew Stafford and company will head to Minnesota as their second away game on a back-to-back road trip. Detroit has a few of their key weapons back in Theo Riddick and Eric Ebron. That will surely make them more dangerous against a defense that struggled against a lowly 2-6 Bears team.

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

Keys to Victory

For Minnesota this may be a simple formula, but one they haven’t figured out yet this season: by all means, protect Sam Bradford. If they have to keep in one running back, two running backs, two tight ends, or even an extra offensive lineman, keep that man standing.

Bradford has an arm, but is as immobile as they come and is known to be fragile when the hits keep piling up. This Vikings team needs to keep him up and put out receivers whom can create separation. It may also be a good idea to see what 2016 first-round pick Laquon Treadwell can give to you at this stage. Minnesota needs all the help they can get and didn’t receive any before the trade deadline ended.

Detroit must do exactly what Chicago did. They’ll need quick hitters on the inside and to use their running back as much as possible in the receiving game. Zach Miller and Jordan Howard did a great job exploiting coverage for Chicago. Detroit’s Eric Ebron and Theo Riddick can do the same while opening up some shots for Golden Tate on the edge.

Defensively for the Lions, the struggle has been real for Minnesota to do anything productive on the ground or protecting Bradford. Simply put Detroit must bring the heat—and a lot of it.

Odds

Point Spread: Minnesota -6
Moneyline: Detroit +229, Minnesota -278
Over/Under: 41

Prediction

As much of an argument as I have made for Detroit to possibly steal this one at U.S. Bank Stadium, I just don’t think it’ll happen. Despite their recent lapse, Minnesota’s defense is elite and will not falter like that again under Zimmer. If Detroit cannot score on a Texans defense playing without most of their secondary and J.J. Watt, the Lions will have fits against this Vikings defense in Minnesota.

Pick: Detroit Lions: 13, Minnesota Vikings: 21