Sam Panayotovich
FOX Sports Betting Analyst
One of probably the most impactful video games of the 2024 NFL season kicks off Sunday evening within the Motor City when the 14-2 Detroit Lions host the 14-2 Minnesota Vikings with the NFC’s No. 1 seed within the steadiness.
The storyline is so good that the league moved the sport to prime time.
DraftKings Sportsbook opened Detroit as a 3-point favourite with a complete of (O/U) 51 because the Lions and San Francisco 49ers cruised the sphere final Monday evening. The complete rose much more as of Friday.
There’s now a 56.5 available on the market, the very best complete all season.
“Just an incredible sport,” skilled bettor Adam Chernoff advised FOX Sports.
“Can the Lions cease? That’s completely the largest query. The 49ers have been getting all the pieces they wished offensively (Monday) however turnovers saved the Lions. It’s been that method the final two weeks.
“Some of the house they’re permitting within the secondary is admirable, but it surely permits groups to seek out plenty of house on the again finish. Minnesota has been in a position to scheme and get guys open for Sam Darnold all season.
“Detroit is set to play man protection behind a move rush that has been a lot much less environment friendly than earlier within the yr when everybody was wholesome. So, the Lions can do sufficient within the secondary towards this Minnesota offense ?
“That’s the important thing.”
Both coaches – Detroit’s Dan Campbell and Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell – are in style picks for NFL Coach of the Year and each males have proven a propensity to be fairly aggressive on offense on fourth down.
Maybe Campbell will roll the cube on 4th-and-1 from his 20.
Hit me.
“I perceive that Dan Campbell is a tricky, knee-biting coach,” FOX Sports betting analyst Geoff Schwartz stated on this week’s Bear Bets. “But I did not like the way in which he dealt with his starters on Monday evening.
“He’s lots smarter than that. He does sensible soccer issues throughout video games. But the way in which they dealt with the San Francisco sport wasn’t very sensible. I assumed the justifications he gave have been fairly ridiculous.
“I feel it would have an effect on them on Sunday.”
Vikings vs. Lions: who wins this historic match?
On the opposite hand, Minnesota’s protection is metrically spectacular, however there are some questions on what the Vikings can do towards elite offenses.
These days, high-octane offense tends to trump stout protection, and the Lions piled up 391 yards of complete offense within the first assembly, a 31-29 victory for Detroit within the Twin Cities. Lions kicker Jake Bates sealed the cope with a 44-yard discipline purpose with 19 seconds left in regulation.
“Detroit’s offense acquired all the pieces they wished all season,” Chernoff continued. “This Minnesota protection, I feel, is slightly phony simply because they’ve performed leaders greater than some other staff, which has made their run protection look lots higher than it really is.
“Dan Campbell has been very aggressive in getting the ball early in video games to attempt to construct leads to allow them to play the lead and lean into that working sport. That’s key. Maybe we see slightly extra willingness to guess by (Vikings defensive coordinator) Brian Flores to attempt to get off the sphere.”
How Sam Darnold resurrected his profession with the Vikings
Get prepared for the fireworks present.
I will not make many bets on Week 18 resulting from a slew of backup quarterbacks beginning and a handful of video games the place actual motivation is almost unimaginable to stymie. That stated, I guess some Vikings +3 -110.
Their offense is completely full of life due to Darnold’s very good quarterback play and I imagine Minnesota wins extra battles towards Detroit’s protection.
School.
Sam Panayotovich is a sports activities betting analyst for FOX Sports and BetQL Network. He beforehand labored for WGN Radio, NBC Sports and VSiN. Follow him on Twitter @spshoot.
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