The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a week six bye with a perfect 5-0 record. Next up for the Vikes is an NFC North matchup with the 4-1 Detroit Lions.
Detroit blew past the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, winning 47-9, but the big takeaway from the game was the injury to star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions gave fans an update on Monday morning, saying the former first-round pick had successful surgery, and there is no word on when he is expected to return to game action.
With Detroit’s most impactful player on the sidelines, how will the Lions fare on the road in Minneapolis? Here are three predictions for the Vikings vs. Lions in week seven.
Sam Darnold has been a pleasant surprise for Vikings fans through the season’s first five games. The 27-year-old has completed 63.5% of his passes this year for 1,111 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell has set Sam up for success, and I expect that to continue this week against the Lions. Detroit has a good defense, but I believe the Vikings coaching staff will figure out ways to involve Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison heavily. Tight end T.J. Hockenson may make his season debut in this game, giving Darnold another weapon to get the ball to.
Hutchinson is a massive loss for the Lions, who must find a new way to put pressure on the opposing quarterback. The stars are aligning for Darnold’s best game of the season.
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has only one game with over 100 receiving yards this season and only two with more than 50 yards through the air. Despite the low yardage, the two-time Pro Bowler has caught a touchdown in the last three games.
St. Brown feels due for a big game, and the Vikings’ defense has allowed a ton of passing yards. He has averaged over 90 yards per game when playing the Vikings. Don’t be surprised if Amon-Ra goes for over 100 yards and has a touchdown grab.
Just as Amon-Ra feels due for a big game, the Minnesota Vikings feel due for a loss. The last two outings against the Packers and Jets have come down to the wire, but the Minnesota defense has stepped up when it matters most. I’m not sure they can lean on that in this game.
Dan Campbell will have his guys fired up, and he’s had the Vikings number, winning three of the last four meetings. I expect lots of points and the Lions stealing a victory on a last-second field goal. Minnesota is a 2.5-point favorite in the game, with the total set at 50.0.
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