Lions Are 3.5-Point Favorite against Vikings
The Detroit Lions will get well-acquainted with the Minnesota Vikings over the final three weeks of the regular season.
Dan Campbell’s squad, in fact, will get the chance to play its divisional rival twice in that span of time. And, the first matchup between the two NFC North teams is set to take place this upcoming Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Presently, the Lions are 3.5-point favorites going into the Week 16 road contest, according to SI Sportsbook.
Detroit, which sits at 10-4, has a three-game lead over the Vikings (7-7) for first place in the NFC North. So, if the Lions beat Minnesota Sunday, they will clinch the division title for the first time since the 1993 season. At that point, the division was still called the NFC Central.
Detroit is coming off a convincing, 42-17, victory over the Denver Broncos at Ford Field. In the aforementioned primetime tilt, Campbell out-maneuvered Sean Payton, his former boss in New Orleans, and Jared Goff tied a career-high with five touchdown passes.
Meanwhile, the Vikings, which came into last week winners of six of their last eight games, dropped their Week 15 game to the Cincinnati Bengals. Minnesota – which led, 17-3, going into the fourth quarter – lost in overtime to the Bengals, 27-24.
Career backup quarterback Nick Mullens got his first start of the season in Cincinnati. He proceeded to complete 26-of-33 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions in the losing effort.
Vikings head man Kevin O'Connell announced Monday that Mullens will also get the start under center on Christmas Eve against the Lions.
"The biggest thing is Nick showed he can execute our offense and really move the football team," O'Connell said of Mullens Sunday. "I think what we've got to continue to work through are those plays where we don't try to do too much.”
Kickoff for Detroit's Week 16 matchup with Minnesota is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
