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On Sunday at Ford Field, the Minnesota Vikings will conclude their annual home-and-home series with the Detroit Lions in the hopes of sweeping their rivals in Honolulu Blue for the fourth consecutive year.
The Vikings won the first matchup between these two teams back in Week 5, but they definitely didn’t make it easy on themselves. Leading 16-9 after the two-minute warning, Alexander Mattison coughed up a fumble at the Minnesota 20-yard line, and D’Andre Swift went in for a 7-yard touchdown three plays later. The Lions got the two-point conversion to take a 17-16 lead, but Kirk Cousins and company got Greg Joseph into position to attempt a 54-yard field goal. Joseph split the uprights as time expired and the Vikings escaped with a 19-17 victory.
The Lions still have not found the win column yet this season, but they did manage a tie against the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to our friends at the DraftKings Sportsbook, the purple enter this one as a 7-point favorite, but as we’ve seen in the games between these two teams in recent years that doesn’t necessarily mean anything.
In a bit of an oddity, this all-NFC matchup will be broadcast on CBS, with Spero Dedes and Jay Feely on the call. Kickoff is slated for noon Central time.