The NFL season ends with a massive clash as the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions meet on Sunday Night Football for the top spot in the NFC.
The pregame narrative: Home-field advantage throughout the playoffs is on the line with two NFC North rivals battling it out. I’m expecting plenty of offence and taking the over on props for Justin Jefferson, Sam Darnold and Jameson Williams.
Check out my Vikings vs. Lions prop picks for Sunday Night Football on Jan. 5.
Vikings vs. Lions prop picks
Best Bet: Jefferson over 95.5 receiving yards (-120)
Most NFL teams have no answer for Jefferson.
I have no idea how Detroit is going to stop the superstar wide receiver.
The Lions are decimated defensively, with plenty of cornerbacks on the shelf. Carlton Davis III, Emmanuel Moseley, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Khalil Dorsey are all out for this contest.
Detroit really doesn’t have a shadow corner on its roster, which means the Vikings should be able to line Jefferson up all over the formation and find matchups they can exploit.
Jefferson is heating up ahead of this contest, too. The elite talent has earned double-digit targets in three consecutive games (38 total) and has 309 receiving yards during this stretch.
No single regular season game holds more stakes than this contest. Expect Darnold to lock in on his top target in the team’s most important matchup.
Key stat: Detroit is allowing an NFL-high 9.5 yards per pass across the last three games.
Quick picks
Darnold over 12.5 rushing yards (-112): Quarterbacks are more willing to put their bodies on the line in crucial moments.
I expect Darnold to use his legs plenty against a Lions squad that can’t keep QBs in the pocket. Detroit allows the fourth-most rushing yards per game to opposing passers (27.8), according to Yahoo Fantasy.
Darnold is more mobile than given credit for, too, as he has three games this season of 25-plus rushing yards.
He rushed for 39 yards — a season high — in his first matchup against Detroit this season.
Williams over 56.5 receiving yards (-118): This is a bet on Williams’ big-play ability.
The Lions receiver is a threat to top this line on just one reception. He has recorded a 59-plus-yard catch in three different games this season.
The wideout is showing out ahead of this contest, too, topping this line in four of his last five games. He recorded a 50-plus yard catch in three of those outings.
Williams should be able to burn the Vikings for some big plays. Besides Detroit, nobody allows more receiving yards per game to WRs than Minnesota (186.1).
Picks made at 4:52 p.m. ET 01/04/2025.
Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.