Week 14 WAY TOO early prediction Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings

This week the Detroit Lions will continue their homestand and welcome in a division rival, the Minnesota Vikings for this Week 14 matchup. The Lions enter after a dominating win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, a game in which they did not punt once the whole game in a 40-14 win.

The Vikings come into this one just barely escaping the New York Jets by a score of 27-22 which required the Vikings defense to make a stand at the end of the game on fourth and goal for the Jets to secure the win.  

How Do the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings Square up?

The Detroit Lions will welcome in former tight end TJ Hockenson for the first time since he was traded at the deadline a few weeks back. Since that trade, the Lions are 4-1 and are averaging 28.4 PPG. The Vikings since the trade are also 4-1 since the trade and they are averaging 23.2 PPG. This game overall as a matchup seems even on paper with the passing attack as the Lions rank 8^th in passing yards this season and the Vikings rank 12^th in passing yards.

The major difference between these two offenses is the running game which the Lions rank 12^th in rushing yards this season and the Vikings rank 26^th, which is surprising with them having a superstar in Dalvin Cook on their team. On the defensive side of the ball, these two teams rank roughly the same but the biggest key in the Vikings allowing the most passing yards in the league and now they are going up against the Lions offense that has all of its weapons healthy in the passing game. 

The Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings Way TOO Early Game Prediction

The Lions should have beaten the Vikings in week three of the season, but the Vikings ended up coming back and winning that one 28-24. Both teams are a little different now though with the Vikings having Hockenson and the Lions will have Jameson Williams. Williams did not factor much into the Lions’ victory over the Jaguars, but I think he will be eased in a little more this week.

The Lions are finally healthy this season and showed against the Jaguars just how explosive this offense can be. I could see that continuing this week against a good Vikings team. The fact Jared Goff went over 300 yards last week and he seems to be clicking on all cylinders with his weapons makes me think the Lions will win this one. The main concern to me is on the defensive side of the ball for the Lions. The biggest question in this game is can the Lions stop Justin Jefferson as they did in week three when he had only three catches for 14 yards.

I’d imagine with the job he did in Week 3, the Lions will have Jeff Okudah matching up against Jefferson. With that said, I think they keep him in check and win this one. I boldly predict Goff will have three touchdown passes with one to Amon-Ra St. Brown, one to Brock Wright, and the final one to D’Andre Swift. Jamaal Williams will also find the back of the end zone to add to his league-leading total. It will be close like the first matchup but I say it’ll be 31-27 Lions with the Lions scoring 30 for the second consecutive week and the Lions back on a winning streak.