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3rd Quarter Report
The Lions and the Vikings have shown up to the match, but their offenses sure haven't. The Lions have jumped out to a 20-13 lead against the Vikings. The Lions' offense has been firing on all cylinders thus far, outscoring their total from last Saturday with time still left to play.
If the Lions keep playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 12-5 in no time. On the other hand, the Vikings will have to make due with a 7-10 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Preview
The Vikings have enjoyed a two-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will challenge the Detroit Lions at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday at Ford Field. Given that both teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.
The experts predicted a close game on Sunday and a win for Minnesota, but boy were they wrong. They were the victim of a bruising 33-10 defeat at the hands of the Packers. Minnesota was in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 23-3.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, the Vikings had trouble moving the ball and finished the game with only 211 total yards. That's the fewest total yards they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Detroit went for two against Dallas on Saturday, and the resulting failed attempt cost them the contest. The Lions were just a hair shy of victory and fell 20-19 to the Cowboys. Detroit has struggled against Dallas recently, as their matchup on Saturday was their fifth consecutive lost matchup.
Despite their defeat, the Lions saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Amon-Ra St. Brown, who picked up 90 receiving yards and a touchdown, was perhaps the best of all.
Minnesota bumped their record down to 7-9 with that loss, which was their third straight at home. That rough patch could be blamed on the team's lackluster offensive performance across that stretch, as they only averaged 14.7 points per game. As for Detroit, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-5.
The Vikings are hoping to beat the odds on Sunday, as the experts think they're headed for a loss. Anyone thinking of taking them against the spread should keep this in mind: the team hasn't covered the last six times they've played the Lions.
Keep an eye on the quarterbacks in this one, as both both teams don't mess around when it comes to the passing game. The Vikings have been excellent in the air this season, having averaged 269 passing yards per game (they're ranked fifth in passing yards per game overall). However, it's not like the Lions struggle in that department as they've been averaging 267.9 passing yards per game. It's looking like Sunday's contest might be a classic QB duel. Check CBS Sports after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more NFL content.
