2019 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 14

Detroit Lions (3-8-1) at Minnesota Vikings (8-4)

Sunday, December 8, 1PM ET

The Minnesota Vikings’ Week 13 loss to the Seattle Seahawks was a punch to the gut. Not only did they miss out on a golden opportunity to keep pace with the Green Bay Packers in the NFC North race, but now they don’t have the edge for the fifth seed either.

To make matters worse, Dalvin Cook got hurt. The early reports indicate that Cook should be ready to go by Sunday, but it’s anyone’s guess what sort of impact the injury will have on his effectiveness. Even with Alexander Mattison waiting in the wings, the Vikings can’t afford to move forward without their star running back at full strength.

Pulling a Week 14 matchup against the Detroit Lions helps, though. The Lions have been awful all year long, and rolling with a third-string quarterback isn’t going to make things any better. Despite the Vikings’ defensive struggles as of late, they shouldn’t have too much trouble keeping Detroit from running up the score on Sunday.

The Vikings can’t afford to lose in Week 14 with the rest of the top dogs in the NFC pulling away. Getting a win against a divisional foe will help their cause, although getting a Packers’ loss will be nearly as important at this point.

Prediction: Vikings win 31-20