Predicting the final 3 games of the Minnesota Vikings 2023 season
By Chris Schad
With three weeks to go, the Minnesota Vikings have a lot to play for.
The Vikings will kick off a crucial three-game stretch when they host the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon and how they fare over the last three games will decide if they make an unlikely playoff run or will be watching it from their couch.
The good news is that the Vikings will play two of their final three games at U.S. Bank Stadium, and all three will come against NFC North opponents.
On the flip-side, two of those games will be against the division-leading Lions, and another will be a pivotal rivalry matchup with the Green Bay Packers.
With divisional bragging rights and postseason spots on the line, here are our predictions for the final three games of the 2023 season.
Week 16 - Detroit Lions (Home)
The Vikings will play their most important game of the season when they host the Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.
According to the FanDuel Sportsbook, Minnesota enters Sunday’s game as three-point underdogs and will be looking to prevent the Lions from clinching their first division title since 1993.
With a “Winter Whiteout” planned, Sunday’s game should provide the Vikings with some home-field advantage.
But anything the crowd does may end up being ineffective as Detroit has thrived indoors this season.
Detroit has played in eight indoor games this season, and they have posted a 6-2 record in these matchups.
However, their record only tells part of the story, as they’ve also averaged 36 points in these eight games.
The Lions still have a winning record (4-2) in outdoor games this season, but they’ve only averaged 23.5 points in these six matchups.
So even if Minnesota encourages everyone to show up in white and open the main gates on the south end of the stadium, Detroit will still feel right at home playing with a roof over their head.
That should be enough to help the Lions earn the victory and win their first division crown in the NFC North era.
Prediction: Lions win 37-20