Detroit Lions (8-7) @ Minnesota Vikings (7-8)
Thursday, December 25, 4:30 PM ET (Netflix)
Here’s another fascinating Christmas Day game between two teams who undoubtedly had their sights set on being the top seed in the NFC this year, as opposed to the situations they find themselves in.
The Vikings have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but they’ve been playing some really solid football as of late. They gutted out a win after JJ McCarthy suffered a had injury against the Giants, and considering how Max Brosmer played in his last outing, that is indeed impressive (even against the Giants).
With a short week and McCarthy unable to grip the football on Sunday, it’s going to be interesting to see whether or not he plays in this one. If he doesn’t, I’m not really giving the Vikings any shot, even though the Lions haven’t exactly been world-beaters this season.
Detroit enters Week 17 with just an 8 percent chance of making it to the playoffs. Again, for a team with aims on the #1 overall seed, that’s disheartening. The Lions are failing to capitalize on a genuine championship window.
Losing to the Vikings will put the final nail in the proverbial coffin for this team, which will likely be on the lookout for two new coordinators once again in 2026. This is a massive game for Detroit, even if part of their playoff fate is out of their control.
Prediction: Lions win 24-17