The Detroit Lions enter Week 9 as clear betting favorites over the Minnesota Vikings, opening as 8.5-point favorites, according to DraftKings.
Coming off its bye week, Detroit sits at 5-2 and in second place in the NFC North, trailing only the Green Bay Packers.
The Lions have looked like one of the NFC’s most complete teams, and oddsmakers clearly expect that to continue when they host their division rivals Sunday at Ford Field.
Meanwhile, the Vikings arrive in Detroit struggling to stay afloat. After dropping two straight games, Minnesota now sits at 3-4 and in last place in the division.
Their most recent outing – a 37-10 loss to Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers – exposed serious issues on both sides of the ball.
Making matters worse, quarterback Carson Wentz, who was sacked five times in the blowout loss, suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in the Week 8 contest.
The Vikings’ offensive line allowed pressure all night, and that weakness could rear its ugly head even more this weekend.
With Wentz sidelined, second-year quarterback J.J. McCarthy is expected to make his long-awaited return as the starter.
The former Michigan star, taken No. 10 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft, has missed nearly all of his professional career due to ankle and knee injuries.
His brief time under center this season has been uneven.
McCarthy did help orchestrate a comeback win over the Chicago Bears in Week 1, accounting for three touchdowns in the game’s final quarter. However, he’s completed just 55 percent of his passes in his other seven quarters of action, and owns a troubling 20.3 QBR through two weeks.
His inexperience and tendency to hold onto the ball could spell disaster against Detroit’s pass-rushing unit.
To make matters worse, the Vikings could be playing without three key members of their offensive line Sunday in Detroit.
Center Ryan Kelly remains on injured reserve, right tackle Brian O’Neill is battling an MCL sprain and left tackle Christian Darrisaw continues to battle knee problems.
Facing Aidan Hutchinson and a rested Lions defensive front under Kelvin Sheppard, McCarthy could be under constant duress from the opening drive.
Detroit’s balanced roster, combined with Minnesota’s question marks offensively, explains why oddsmakers are leaning heavily toward the Lions in this Week 9 affair.
With quarterback Jared Goff efficiently leading the offense and Detroit’s defense among the league’s best at generating pressure, the Lions appear well-positioned to extend their strong start.
If Detroit executes as expected, the Lions should have little trouble getting past McCarthy and the Vikings this Sunday.
