Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions Prediction, 1/3/2021 NFL Pick, Tips and Odds, Week 17

Game: Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions

Date: Sunday, January 3, 2021

Location: Ford Field in Detroit, MI

TV: FOX

Odds/Point Spread: Detroit +6.5

Total/Over-Under: 54.5

Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions (5-10) host the Minnesota Vikings (6-9) at Ford Field on Sunday, January 3, 2021. The odds on this contest have Minnesota as 6.5-point favorites. The O/U has been set at 54.5.

The Minnesota Vikings head into this game 6-9 for this year. In their last game they took on the New Orleans Saints and took the loss by a score of 52-33. Kirk Cousins went 27/41 with 291 yards passing and added 3 touchdowns. He finished the game without throwing an interception. Dalvin Cook led the team in rushing for the game. He had a long run of 15 yards and he ran for 1 touchdown for the contest. He ran for a total of 73 yards via 15 carries which meant he averaged 4.9 yards per run. Adam Thielen was the receiving yardage leader by racking up 97 yards on 8 receptions. He notched an average of 12.1 yards per reception for the game. The Minnesota Vikings ran the football 17 times and earned 90 yards earning them an average of 5.3 yards per rush. Overall, they ran 60 plays which added up to 364 yards. In the game, the Vikings got 25 first downs and they had 3 penalties for 20 yards. When discussing the defense, Minnesota gave up 21 completions on 28 throws for a total of 319 yards, and a completion percentage of 75.0%. On the ground, the Vikings gave up 264 yards on 45 runs which means they had an average of 5.9 yards per carry allowed. For the game, they gave up a total of 583 yards and earned 2 takeaways.

In terms of getting in the endzone, the Minnesota Vikings have an average of 26.2 points per game. As a unit they hold an average of 143.9 yards via the ground game which ranks them 6th in the National Football League. The Vikings have tallied 5,784 total yards this year. When it comes to distribution of touchdowns, Minnesota has totaled 32 passing touchdowns and 18 rushing touchdowns. The Vikings rank 28th in the league in terms of the opposition scoring, allowing 29.3 points per game. They are allowing an average of 4.5 yards per rushing attempt and 134.8 rushing yards per game this year. Overall, they have given up 2,022 yards via the ground game in 15 games. When talking about passing yardage, the Vikings have allowed 3,853 yards which puts them in 24th in the NFL. Over the course of their 15 games played, they have given up 256.9 yards per game via the pass and allowed a completion percentage of 66.3%. Overall, they have surrendered 391.7 yards/contest putting them 27th in the league.

The Lions head into this matchup 5-10 for this season. In their last outing they went up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and lost 47-7. D'Andre Swift led the team on the ground during the game. He broke a long run for 14 yards but he wasn't able to run one in for a touchdown. He racked up a total of 45 yards by way of 10 carries which meant he was running for 4.5 yards per tote. Danny Amendola was the receiving yardage leader with a tally of 37 yards on 5 receptions. He earned an average of 7.4 yards per catch during the game. Chase Daniel went 13/18 with 86 yards through the air but wasn't able to throw a ball for a TD. He walked away with no picks. The Detroit Lions ran the ball 15 times and added 73 yards which had them averaging 4.9 yards per run. For the contest, the Lions earned a total of 12 1st downs and they totaled 11 penalties for 117 yards. In the game, they ran 50 plays which added up to 186 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Detroit gave up 31 catches on 42 tries for a total of 477 yards, and a completion percentage of 74.0%. In the game, they gave up 588 yards but went the whole game without forcing a turnover. In the running game, the Lions gave up 111 yards on 26 carries which gave them an average of 4.3 yards per carry allowed.

In terms of their ability to score points, the Lions sit 24th out of all teams in the NFL maintaining an average of 22.8 points per outing. During this campaign so far, the Lions have earned 3,816 yards through the air as well as an average of 254.4 passing yards per outing, ranking them 11th in the NFL. They hold an average of 91.3 yards per game via the rush and have rushed for 1,370 yards for this year. The Detroit Lions are averaging 345.7 yards per outing which is good for 21st in the NFL. The Lions are ranked 32nd in the league concerning the opposition scoring, allowing 32.1 PPG. They are allowing an average of 4.5 yards per rushing attempt and 135.5 yards on the ground per contest this season. Over the course of this season, they have conceded 2,033 yards via the running game in 15 games. In terms of passing yardage, the Lions have allowed 4,175 yards which puts them in 30th in the NFL. Over the course of their 15 games played this year, they have given up 278.3 yards per contest through the air in addition to giving up a completion percentage of 68.7%. Over the course of this year, they have relinquished 413.9 yards per contest ranking them 31st in football.

So what is Tonights Parlay prediction?

Parlays Pundit's Pick: Take the Lions +6.5 and over 54.5 total points

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