2020 NFL picks, score predictions for Week 17

Minnesota Vikings (6-9) at Detroit Lions (5-10)

Sunday, January 3, 1PM ET

Both of these teams were utterly embarrassed in Week 16, giving up huge amounts of points while failing to respond with scores of their own. While the Minnesota Vikings at least managed to make it a game, though, the Detroit Lions were bulldozed in a blowout.

At this point, the Vikings look the far more complete team despite the similar records. They own one of the best offenses in the NFL but are simply incompetent on defense. While the Lions are capable of scoring in bunches, Matthew Stafford hasn’t been himself this season and the lack of a consistent running game hasn’t helped.

After last week’s defensive meltdown, Mike Zimmer is sure to have his defense ready to rock and roll on Sunday. They’re not going to suddenly be an elite group, but they’ll be ready to react to whatever the Lions throw at them.

The Vikings get the win in a meaningless game, hurting their draft positioning. Meanwhile, the Lions suffer another loss as the organization will likely look to shake things up in what could be another rebuilding offseason for this franchise.

Prediction: Vikings win 27-20