3rd Quarter Report

The Lions are on the road but looking no worse for wear. A win is still up for grabs for either team after three quarters, but the Lions are up 23-21 over the Vikings.

If the Lions keep playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 11-4 in no time. On the other hand, the Vikings will have to make due with a 7-8 record unless they turn things around (and fast).

Who's Playing

Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings

Current Records: Detroit 10-4, Minnesota 7-7

How To Watch

  • When: Sunday, December 24, 2023 at 1 p.m. ET
  • Where: U.S. Bank Stadium -- Minneapolis, Minnesota
  • TV: FOX
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
  • Ticket Cost: $66.25

What to Know

The Vikings will be in front of their home fans on Sunday, but a look at the spread shows they might need that home-field advantage. They will be home for the holidays to greet the Detroit Lions at 1:00 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium. The last four games the Vikings have played have been within three points, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

Minnesota fought the good fight in their overtime matchup against Cincinnati last Saturday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Bengals by a score of 27-24. The loss hurts even more since Minnesota was up 17-3 with 4:36 left in the third.

Despite their loss, the Vikings saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Ty Chandler, who rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown, was perhaps the best of all. That's the first time this season that Chandler rushed for 100 or more yards. Jordan Addison was another key contributor, picking up 111 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Even if they lost, the Vikings' defense still kept up the pressure with five sacks. Leading the way was Danielle Hunter and his two sacks.

Even though Detroit has not done well against Denver recently (they were 0-3 in their previous three matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way last Saturday. Everything went the Lions' way against the Broncos as the Lions made off with a 42-17 win. That looming 42-17 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Detroit yet this season.

Among those leading the charge was Jared Goff, who threw for 278 yards and five touchdowns. His posted a season-high passer rating of 134.6. Another player making a difference was Jahmyr Gibbs, who gained 108 total yards and two touchdowns.

Minnesota has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost three of their last four matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 7-7 record this season. As for Detroit, their win bumped their record up to 10-4.

Minnesota came up short against Detroit in their previous matchup back in December of 2022, falling 34-23. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Goff, who threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Now that the Vikings know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.

Odds

Detroit is a slight 2.5-point favorite against Minnesota, according to the latest NFL odds.

The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Lions as a 3.5-point favorite.


The over/under is set at 47.5 points.

See NFL picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Minnesota has won 8 out of their last 10 games against Detroit.

  • Dec 11, 2022 - Detroit 34 vs. Minnesota 23
  • Sep 25, 2022 - Minnesota 28 vs. Detroit 24
  • Dec 05, 2021 - Detroit 29 vs. Minnesota 27
  • Oct 10, 2021 - Minnesota 19 vs. Detroit 17
  • Jan 03, 2021 - Minnesota 37 vs. Detroit 35
  • Nov 08, 2020 - Minnesota 34 vs. Detroit 20
  • Dec 08, 2019 - Minnesota 20 vs. Detroit 7
  • Oct 20, 2019 - Minnesota 42 vs. Detroit 30
  • Dec 23, 2018 - Minnesota 27 vs. Detroit 9
  • Nov 04, 2018 - Minnesota 24 vs. Detroit 9

Injury Report for the Vikings

  • Joshua Dobbs: inactive (Coach's Decision)
  • Brian O'Neill: inactive (Ankle)
  • Chris Reed: inactive (Coach's Decision)
  • Byron Murphy: inactive (Knee)
  • Nick Muse: inactive (Coach's Decision)
  • Jalen Nailor: inactive (Concussion)
  • Lewis Cine: inactive (Coach's Decision)

Injury Report for the Lions

  • Hendon Hooker: inactive (Coach's Decision)
  • Brock Wright: inactive (Hip)
  • Derrick Barnes: inactive (Shoulder)
  • Antoine Green: inactive (Coach's Decision)
  • Brodric Martin: inactive (Coach's Decision)
  • Steven Gilmore: inactive (Coach's Decision)
  • Jerry Jacobs: inactive (Hamstring)