Last season, the regular-season finale between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions had just about as much riding on it as a regular season game could potentially have. This season is just about as far removed from that as we could possibly be.
The Vikings and Lions will meet as the second game of the National Football League’s Christmas Day tripleheader, with the Vikings already eliminated from playoff contention and the Lions barely clinging to life in the NFC playoff race. Last season, these two teams combined for 29 regular season victories and met in Week 18 with the top seed in the NFC playoffs on the line, but they come into this game with just 15 combined wins in 2025.
The only chance the Lions have at getting into the NFC playoffs is for them to win their last two games, both this game and their regular season finale against the Chicago Bears, and for the Green Bay Packers to lose their final two games. The Packers play on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens before finishing their regular season at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Vikings in Week 18.
The Vikings still don’t know who their starter at quarterback will be for this one, as J.J. McCarthy’s status is up in the air. McCarthy suffered an injury to his throwing hand late in the first half of Minnesota’s 16-13 victory over the New York Giants in Week 16, and stayed in the locker room as Max Brosmer took over for the second half. It’s the third significant injury of the season for McCarthy, who has missed time because of a high ankle sprain and a concussion so far this year. This comes on the heels of him missing his entire rookie season because of a torn meniscus.
The Lions are a heavy early favorite to keep their postseason hopes alive, at least temporarily, as they have been installed as an early 5.5-point favorite in this one. They were a 9.5-point favorite when these two teams met at Ford Field back in Week 9, but the Vikings managed to pull off a 27-24 victory in that contest.
Kickoff for this one is slated for 3:30 PM Central time, with coverage being provided by Netflix.
