The final weekend of the NFL regular season is here and one game stands out above the rest as being the most important.
The NFC North title is on the line when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings. Both teams have played excellently this year, but due to the tough competition in their division, the winner of this game will be the top seed in the NFC and will receive a first-round bye. The loser of this game will hit the road and be the fifth seed in the NFL playoffs.
With so much on the line, who should you back to make a winning pick with the top NFL odds available?
NFL Pick
- Vikings ML (+128) at Bet365
Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
Sunday, January 05, 2025 – 08:20 PM ET at Ford Field
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings season has been a pleasant surprise for their front office and fans. The Vikings were predicted to have the worst record in the NFC North but instead, they now have a chance to clinch the title and the top seed in the NFC. Minnesota’s resurgence has been based on two things: the improved play of QB Sam Darnold and the elite coaching of defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
Sam Darnold was considered to be a bust after struggling at many stops in the NFL. He was brought in to be a placeholder before he was intended to turn the reins over to rookie QB JJ McCarthy. A training camp injury to McCarthy meant that the job was Darnold’s all season long. Darnold took advantage of the opportunity and is putting up MVP-like numbers.
Sam Darnold’s resurgence must be credited to the strong coaching of Kevin O’Connell. O’Connell has done a great job to help Sam avoid the backbreaking mistakes that had plagued him throughout his career. O’Connell’s play calling puts Darnold in a position to succeed and minimizes his weaknesses.
Brian Flores has done an excellent job with the defense. Flores runs one of the most aggressive schemes in the league and his creative variety of blitz styles has allowed the Vikings to boast a top defense even though the consensus around the league is that they do not have a top roster. Flores is maximizing his team’s defensive potential through his schemes. Excellent coaching on both sides of the ball has been key for the Minnesota Vikings’ resurgence this year.
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions looked to be the best team in the league through the first five weeks of the season. Then an injury to All-Star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson had fans concerned that the defense would not be able to recover. The defense managed to absorb the loss of Hutchinson and still put up good numbers. But over the last four weeks of the season, the Lions have suffered multiple injuries on the defense.
The defense is nowhere near where it was halfway through the season. The San Francisco 49ers were able to take advantage of that last week and there was no doubt that Kevin O’Connell will look at the schemes that were successful in that game and try to attack the same weaknesses of the Lions’ hobbled defense.
The Lions have a balanced offense and have the best offensive line in the game. Detroit will attempt to run the ball, control the clock, and put their quarterback Jared Goff in favorable positions when he does drop back to pass. The Lions’ offensive line makes all of their play calls look so much stronger. Even though they have suffered many injuries, their offensive line is still the class of the league.
Key Matchup: Vikings Wide Receivers vs. Lions Secondary
The Detroit Lions secondary has been diminished by injuries and the Vikings have one of the strongest receiving corps in the league. The Vikings have multiple ways to attack you through the air, and will put plenty of pressure on the Detroit defensive backs. Detroit will need their defensive backs to hold up in coverage if they want a chance to win this game
If the Minnesota Vikings are able to pick up explosive plays through the air, they will have a great chance to win this game. If the Detroit defensive backs are able to hold up in coverage and prevent big plays, the Lions strong run game could be key to controlling the clock and getting the win.
The Pick
These two teams played in opposite fashion last week. Detroit started off slow and could not get a stop until the second half when their defense stepped up with crucial turnovers. The Vikings jumped out to a huge lead and were barely able to hold on as in the end they stopped the Packers’ frantic comeback.
The Detroit Lions were the better team at the beginning of the year but the multitude of injuries they suffered on the defensive end of the ball is going to be too tough to overcome, especially against this well-coached Minnesota team.
The Lions struggled to get stops against the sputtering 49ers offense and now they’re facing a well-oiled machine in the Minnesota offense. At the end of the day, the injuries that the Lions have endured will be too much. The Minnesota Vikings will be the unlikely winner of the NFC North. Take the Minnesota Vikings ML.
NFL Pick: Vikings ML (+128) at Bet365 (check our Bet365 Review)
*21+ Seek help with a gambling addiction at 1-800-Gambler
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
