NFL Sunday Night Football PrizePicks Predictions: Vikings vs. Lions
The regular-season finale is a doozy. It's the first regular-season game in NFL history to feature two teams with 14 wins, as the winner of the contest will win the NFC North and wrap up home-field advantage for the entirety of the postseason. The Lions' pass defense has been very problematic over the last few weeks, which should mean huge games for Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson. But the Vikings' pass defense has also struggled, as they rank fifth-worst in the league entering Week 18.
Here are the best PrizePicks plays for Sunday Night Football between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions.
Best NFL Sunday Night Football PrizePicks Player Predictions: Vikings vs. Lions
Justin Jefferson Over 94.5 Receiving Yards
This almost feels too easy. The NFL's second-leading receiver is about to take on a pass defense that is struggling against far inferior opponents. Additionally, Jefferson has torched the Lions throughout his career. Though he only finished with 81 yards in the season’s first matchup, he has gone over 140 yards in three of his last four games against Detroit.
Given how the Lions are playing right now, it's hard to imagine this being a low-scoring game. They're giving up 250.4 passing yards this season, which is the second-most in football. Things get even worse over their last three games, as they're allowing 361.7 passing yards per game. Look for Jefferson to easily take advantage of this matchup and record 100 yards for the third time in five games.
Sam Darnold Over 286.5 Passing Yards
There's no reason to try to find sneaky value for this game when so many obviously valuable plays are available. Unless the Lions' defense miraculously gets healthy overnight, the Vikings will walk up and down the field against them. And if the Lions' offense continues to score at the rate they have been, then Darnold will be throwing nonstop in this game.
Darnold finished the first game with just 259 yards but also completed 81.5% of his passes. He should have no trouble completing passes in this game against a defense that has allowed their last three opponents to complete 69.3% of their passes. With numerous defensive injuries, Darnold's high completion percentage will turn into many yards. After all, he's on fire right now, and he threw for 377 yards against the Green Bay Packers last week.
Jahmyr Gibbs Over 125.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards
Since David Montgomery's injury, Gibbs has been spectacular. He's rushed for 100 yards in back-to-back games, and in each of those contests, he's also gone for at least 45 yards through the air. If there were any questions about whether he could shoulder the load alone, they have been answered.
Earlier this season, Gibbs ran for 116 yards against the Vikings. He also caught four passes for 44 yards. While the Vikings have the second-best rush defense in football, Gibbs has had huge games against almost everyone he's played. And if the Vikings do manage to stop Gibbs and the Lions' sixth-ranked rushing attack, look for him to be a key piece in the passing game.
Phil Wood is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Phil, check out his archive and follow him @Phil_Wood_Jr.