Week 7 Preview and Predictions

Score Picks:

CBS Prisco (Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (PK): The Lions are coming off a tough loss against the Packers and will be playing on a short week. The Vikings, and especially Kirk Cousins, were impressive last week. But I don't think that carries over here. I think the Lions being back home helps get them back on track.  Pick: Lions 26, Vikings 21):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/pete-priscos-nfl-week-7-picks-falcons-hand-rams-fourth-straight-loss-in-upset-lions-slow-down-vikings/

CBS Jordan Dajani (Lions win 24-21):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-7-picks-jets-cover-in-prime-time-vs-patriots-saints-upset-bears-in-chicago/

Foxsports (Lions win 24-23):  https://www.foxsports.com/nfl/boxscore?id=8854&type=8

Walterfootball (Lions win 20-13):   http://walterfootball.com/nflpicks2019_07early.php

NFL.com Cynthia's Prediction (Lions win 23-21):   http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001066521/Game-Theory-Week-7-win-probabilities-score-projections

Freep (Lions win 17-16):   https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/10/19/detroit-lions-minnesota-vikings-scouting-report-prediction/4026781002/

USA Today Picks (6 pick the Lions to win by scores of 30-27, 23-20, 30-27, 27-25, 30-26, 23-20.  1 picks the Vikings to win 26-21.):  https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2019/10/17/usa-today-week-7-nfl-picks-predictions-cowboys-eagles/4006069002/

Detroit News (2 picks the Lions to win 20-17 and 24-20.  1 picks the Vikings to win 22-19):   https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/10/18/detroit-news-predictions-detroit-lions-vs-minnesota-vikings/4016252002/

PFT (Vikings at Lions - MDS’s take: The Lions suffered a heartbreaking loss on Monday night, and that kind of game is hard to come back from. A loss here drops them far down in the NFC North race. MDS’s pick: Vikings 31, Lions 24.  Florio’s take: This is precisely the kind of game that it seems like the Vikings and Kirk Cousins will win, and that they then will find a way to lose it.  Florio’s pick: Lions 24, Vikings 20.):  https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/10/17/pfts-week-seven-picks-9/

ESPN Week 7 NFL game picks, schedule guide, fantasy football tips and more (Vikings (4-2) at Lions (2-2-1):  What to watch for: The Vikings should focus on the ground game again, as Dalvin Cook looks to take advantage of a Lions defense that has given up at least 100 yards rushing every week. Cook could be in line for a monster day, perhaps as big as 150 yards and a touchdown or two. How Detroit handles Cook could be the key to a win or loss. -- Michael Rothstein.  Bold prediction: Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford will be sacked at least six times. Yes, his offensive line is better than last year, and yes, he's been sacked only 10 times in five games and is averaging a career-best 8 yards gained per pass attempt. But it's going to be another long day for the 11-year veteran QB against the Vikings defense, given he has few options for a quick out and not much to work with in the passing game beyond receiver Kenny Golladay. -- Courtney Cronin. Stat to know: According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Minnesota QB Kirk Cousins has averaged 2.98 seconds to throw this season, the most in the NFL. The Lions have allowed opponents 2.99 seconds to throw this season, highest in the NFL, in part because they blitz on a league-low 9% of dropbacks.  What to know for fantasy: Cook and Christian McCaffrey are the only running backs this season with five games of at least 19 fantasy points. See Week 7 rankings.  Cronin's pick: Vikings 20, Lions 17.  Rothstein's pick: Lions 20, Vikings 17):   https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/27860778/week-7-nfl-game-picks-schedule-guide-fantasy-football-tips-more

MLive Picks (2 pick the Vikings to win 33-30 and 28-24.  1 picks the Lions to win 24-20):  https://www.mlive.com/lions/2019/10/final-score-predictions-for-detroit-lions-vs-minnesota-vikings-week-7-game.html

TBL (3 pick the Vikings to win by scores of 31-21, 28-21, 27-24.  1 picks the Lions to win 23-20):   https://www.thebiglead.com/posts/nfl-week-7-picks-predictions-spreads-odds-lines-pick-em-01dq7vv88447

CBS Jeff Kerr (Minnesota Vikings (4-2) at Detroit Lions (2-2-1):  The Lions let another fourth quarter lead slip away (controversial penalties or not) in a last-second loss to the Packers, the second fourth quarter lead Detroit blew this year. Detroit should be sitting atop of the NFC North with a 4-1 record, not in last place. Now the Lions have to play a Vikings team that is scorching hot on offense, averaging 33 points and 468.5 yards per game over the past two weeks. Kirk Cousins had six touchdowns and one interception in that stretch, completing 78.6 percent of his passes. The Lions are a .500 team, so Cousins shouldn't have a problem beating them. Detroit allows a whopping 413.8 yards per game. The Lions play hard every game, but Minnesota's offense will be tough to stop. The Vikings also have a top-five defense as extra ammunition. Good luck. Pick: Vikings 30, Lions 20):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/week-6-nfl-odds-picks-tv-eagles-pull-off-road-victory-over-vikings-saints-win-again-behind-teddy-bridgewater/

CBS John Breech (Vikings win 20-17):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-7-picks-odds-saints-stun-bears-in-chicago-eagles-upset-cowboys-on-sunday-night/

CBS Bryan DeArdo (Minnesota (4-2) at Detroit (2-2-1):  The Vikings burned me last week, defeating the Eagles at home after I picked them to lose. While the Lions will be motivated for make up for Monday night's heartbreaking road loss to the Packers, I'll ride the hot hand and go with the Vikings behind their sixth-ranked scoring defense and an offense that has scored 66 points in their past two games. Minnesota running back Dalvin Cook (583 yards, six touchdowns this season) should have success against a Lions defense that is ranked 27th against the run.  The pick: Vikings 33, Lions 27):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-7-picks-odds-schedule-deshaun-watson-kyler-murray-win-on-the-road-while-entering-mvp-roy-races/

CBS Tyler Sullivan (Vikings 27-17 over Lions):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-7-picks-kyler-murray-outduels-daniel-jones-in-rookie-showdown-chiefs-snap-losing-streak/

CBS Cody Benjamin (Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: The Lions have been both overlooked and unfortunate this year. (Especially in Week 6's controversial loss to Green Bay.) They should put up some points at home, but ultimately, their pass defense is too shoddy to slow the Vikings' downfield weapons.  Prediction: Vikings 28, Lions 20):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-week-7-odds-picks-ravens-outrun-seahawks-eagles-rebound-in-dallas-patriots-stay-perfect/

SN's Haslop (Minnesota Vikings (-1, -103) at Detroit Lions:  Whether Kirk Cousins is or is not the "weakest" part of the Vikings' offense is irrelevant when the entire unit clicks the way it did last week against the Eagles. On the other side of the ball, Minnesota's defense is quietly rising, now sixth in the NFL with just 15.5 points allowed per game. That combination will be too much for a Lions team still trying to establish itself as a contender in the division.  Pick: Vikings 24, Lions 17):  https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-picks-week-7-bears-saints-ravens-seahawks-rams/swg5yxmy0b9y1qvkf48il9t6n

SN Vinnie Iyer's Pick (Minnesota Vikings (-1, -103) at Detroit Lions:  The Lions get a second straight division game against a Vikings team that is putting it all together offensively and defensively. Detroit struggles to stop elusive backs as both runners and receivers, so Minnesota can roll with its Dalvin Cook-centric game plan and set Kirk Cousins back up for more success back near his old college stomping grounds. Matthew Stafford will have some success spreading it around through the air, but it won't be quite enough at home.  Pick: Vikings win 24-20):  https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/nfl-picks-predictions-week-7-spread-cowboys-eagles-49ers-redskins/1vqa87gphsgrq1oar6npi5kywj

NFL.com Rosenthal (Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 22:  The Lions' defense under Matt Patricia is increasingly reminding me of the Patriots' defense under Matt Patricia. Those units played good situational football, especially in the red zone. They were smart and were able to change depending on the opponent. They also didn't have much of a pass rush and never threatened to be a top-five unit, relying on their offense to win games. While this Detroit team has been unlucky, so far the Lions have played just well enough to get their hearts broken against quality competition like the Chiefs and Packers. They face a Vikings team Sunday that is more talented than the Lions on both sides of the ball. Patricia needs more than moral victories, or Detroit risks falling out of the crowded NFC North race.):  http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001066504/article/nfl-week-7-game-picks-chiefs-nip-broncos-ravens-top-hawks

NFL RealGM (Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions (+1): How will the NFL rip this game away from the Lions? After Monday night’s officiating debacle added to the dubious list, it’s hard to fathom in what way the Lions will get screwed. From rescinded pass interference penalties (in Dallas in the playoffs) to the “Calvin Johnson rule” (two of them, actually) to missing a blatant illegal batting call (K.J. Wright) to somehow nobody seeing Justin Forsett being tackled on Thanksgiving--a play which resulted in all scoring plays being automatically reviewed--the Lions have been on the wrong end of the NFL’s hose so many times, I can’t think of any new ways to have victory taken from them. Somehow I don’t think this game will be close enough for it to matter, with the visiting Vikings playing some great team football lately.  Vikings 27, Lions 16):  https://football.realgm.com/analysis/3198/Football-Meteorology-For-NFL-Week-7

Five things to watch as Lions host Vikings (Vikings 24 Lions 17):  https://lionslowdown.com/2019/10/19/five-things-to-watch-as-lions-host-vikings/

Mike O'Hara's Pick (Vikings win 23-20):  https://www.detroitlions.com/news/o-hara-s-final-thoughts-lions-need-to-focus-on-closing-out-games

Non-Score Picks:

PFF (4 pick the Lions.  4 pick the Vikings):  https://mobile.twitter.com/PFF/status/1184929575639441408

SI Picks (3 pick the Vikings.  3 pick the Lions):  https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/10/17/mmqb-week-7-staff-picks

ESPN Picks (6 pick the Vikings.  5 pick the Lions):  http://www.espn.com/nfl/picks

CBS Picks (5 pick the Vikings.  3 pick the Lions):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/features/writers/expert/picks/straight-up/7

NFL.com Picks (Both pick the Vikings):  http://www.nfl.com/videos/detroit-lions/0ap3000001066188/Vikings-vs-Lions-preview-Week-7


Average Score Prediction (904-822/38):  Vikings win 24-22

39 pick the Vikings to win.   32 pick the Lions to win.

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Lions Mike O'Hara (Lions win 31-30):   https://www.detroitlions.com/news/o-hara-s-final-thoughts-the-extinction-of-the-lambeau-curse

Lions Lowdown (Lions win 27-24):   https://lionslowdown.com/2019/10/14/five-things-to-know-as-lions-play-packers/

Freep (2 pick the Lions to win by scores of 28-27, 27-24, 2 pick the Packers to win by scores of 23-20, 28-24):  https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2019/10/14/detroit-lions-predictions-green-bay-packers/3961803002/

Lions at Packers: Preview, pick, more (Packers win 24-23):  https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/lions-at-packers-channel-time-odds-prediction-for-monday-night-football/