Lions v Vikings Tips: Sunday Night Football Picks & Betting Offers
The 2024 NFL regular season wraps up with the eagerly awaited NFC North clash on Sunday Night Football. This showdown will determine the divisional champion and the No. 1 seed in the National Football Conference, so here are our Lions v Vikings tips.
Both the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions boast an impressive 14-2 record. The victor will secure a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, while the defeated team will have to settle for the No. 5 seed and face an away game in the Wild Card Round.
Detroit edged Minnesota 31-29 as 1.5-point road underdogs in Week 7. This time, according to leading UK betting sites, the Lions are 2.5-point home favourites, with the total set at 56.5 points.
Lions v Vikings Tips: 9/2 Bet Builder for Sunday Night Football
We’ve crafted our Lions v Vikings bet builder using Betfair, widely recognised as one of the best NFL betting sites for its excellent range of markets.
You can combine our Lions v Vikings tips with Betfair sign up offer to claim £50 in free bets when you place a qualifying £10 bet.
Sam Darnold Over 1.5 Passing Touchdowns
The Lions currently have 13 defensive players on the injury list. Their depleted defensive unit has struggled in recent weeks, conceding 31 or more points in three of their last four games. Detroit has allowed at least 323 passing yards in each of their last three outings and now ranks second-worst in the NFL for passing yards allowed per game (250.4).
As a result, the Vikings are likely to continue relying on their passing offense. Sam Darnold is enjoying an exceptional season, having thrown for 4,153 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. Only four players have more passing touchdowns than Darnold in 2024.
Darnold has thrown at least two touchdowns in six of his last seven games. Last week, he led the Vikings to a 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers, completing 33 of 43 attempts for 377 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception.
In Week 16, Darnold also recorded three passing touchdowns. It would be surprising if he doesn’t manage at least two scores against Detroit’s injury-hit defense.
Justin Jefferson Over 93.5 Receiving Yards
As previously highlighted, the Lions concede a significant number of passing yards. With that in mind, let’s continue our Lions v Vikings tips by focusing on one of the NFL’s top wide receivers, Justin Jefferson, who is set for a standout performance in this crucial game for both Minnesota and Detroit.
Jefferson has been a key player for the Vikings this season, leading the team with 100 receptions, 1,479 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. He has surpassed 92 receiving yards in four of his last five outings. In the narrow Week 7 defeat to Detroit, Jefferson recorded seven catches for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Containing Jefferson will be a major challenge for the Lions in their regular-season finale. Across four career games at Ford Field, Jefferson has amassed an astonishing 730 yards. In Week 18 of the 2023 season, he dominated the Lions in Detroit with 12 receptions for 192 yards and a touchdown.
Notably, Jefferson set the Vikings’ single-game receiving record at Ford Field back in 2022 with 223 yards. The three-time Pro Bowler will torture the Lions once more.
Justin Jefferson Anytime Touchdown Scorer
Jefferson has found the end zone in each of his last three visits to Detroit. This season, he has scored in three of his last four outings, amassing five touchdowns during that span. Although Jefferson didn’t score last week, he still delivered a strong performance with eight catches for 92 yards against the Packers.
As noted earlier, the Lions are grappling with significant injury concerns on defence. Detroit has conceded at least two passing touchdowns in four of its last five games.
The Lions have allowed 36 offensive touchdowns this season, with 18 coming through the air. Of those, 13 have been caught by wide receivers, with Jefferson already among them. He will undoubtedly remain Sam Darnold’s primary target in Week 18.
More NFL Betting
Check out a detailed list of excellent free bets and betting offers available for a variety of sports, including NFL betting.
Content on this site will contain reference to products or services from one or more of our advertisers or partners. We may receive compensation when you view ads or click on links to those products or services.
