The last full NFL Sunday of the season.
The NFL rarely gets to showcase a game like this at the end of the year. The No. 1 seed in the NFC is up for grabs. The Detroit Lions will be hosting the Minnesota Vikings.
One of these teams will end up with a bye week and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. The other will be on the road in the Wild Card round, facing the winner of the NFC South, which will most likely be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Detroit has spent most of the season in control of the NFC’s top seed. They have been one of the most complete teams in the entire NFL. Their offensive line dominates, which has led to an efficient rushing attack and a great play-action game for quarterback Jared Goff. The defense has also rolled with all of their injuries to continue to be a top unit in the NFL.
The Vikings were the final undefeated team in the NFC, and they’ve had Sam Darnold blossom into the quarterback many thought he was when he was coming out of USC. He just had to survive being with the New York Jets and Carolina Panthers to make it to this point. He has the keys to one of the hottest offenses in the NFL, led by wide receiver Justin Jefferson.
Their defense also is no slouch, with a defense littered with young, talented players all over.
When these teams met earlier this year, Detroit won 31-29. We should expect another close one with so much on the line.
FanDuel Sportsbook has the Lions as 2.5-point favorites at home, with the point total set at 56.5. Sounds like they expect one hell of a game.
Here are our staff’s picks:
Come join the fun for what will be the all-day open thread for the final NFL Sunday of the 2024-25 season.
