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Wk 15 · 2026

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings — Sun, Dec 20

Sun, Dec 20 · U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN · NBC

Weather

This one is played indoors. There is nothing to forecast.
Detroit Lions
NFC North · 3-2
at
8:20pET
DET -1.5 · total 46.5 DraftKings
Ratings differential MIN by 4.4
Minnesota Vikings
NFC North · 5-0

What is at stake

An NFC North game. These two play each other twice a season, home and away, and when the NFC North finishes level it is the head-to-head result and then the division record that separate them — before any of the rest. Division standings.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The Gridiron King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 1.7 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two rosters that have been through a draft and a free-agency window since.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Lions: +1.6#12
Efficiency margin
Vikings: +4.3#6
Lions: +4.7#2
Offense
Vikings: -1.2#22
Lions: -3.1#29
Defense
Vikings: +5.6#1
Lions: 28.3
Points / game
Vikings: 20.2
Lions: 24.3
Points allowed / game
Vikings: 19.6
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The Gridiron King’s 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats

The box-score store these rows are built from has not been produced for this league yet, so no preview carries points and yards for and against. The form, trend and series blocks below are built from this site’s own files and are not affected.

Lions form

W 45-21at ARIL 26-32at CARW 31-24vs NYJL 31-41at BUFW 31-30vs NO
2026 season

Vikings form

W 23-13at NOW 15-10vs MIAW 23-16at TBW 9-3at CHIW 39-22vs GB
2026 season

Lions this season

Straight up3-2 · 60% (5 games)
Against the spread1-3-1 · 25% (5 games)
Over / under5-0 · 100% (5 games)

Vikings this season

Straight up5-0 · 100% (5 games)
Against the spread4-1 · 80% (5 games)
Over / under1-4 · 20% (5 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 10

OpponentLionsVikings
Saints
NFC
vs W 31-30 previewat W 23-13 preview
Bills
AFC
at L 31-41 previewvs Wk 9 · scheduled preview
Jets
AFC
vs W 31-24 previewat Wk 17 · scheduled preview
Panthers
NFC
at L 26-32 previewvs Wk 13 · scheduled preview
Packers
NFC
vs Wk 7 · scheduled previewvs W 39-22 preview
Dolphins
AFC
at Wk 9 · scheduled previewvs W 15-10 preview
Patriots
AFC
N Wk 10 · scheduled previewat Wk 14 · scheduled preview
Buccaneers
NFC
vs Wk 11 · scheduled previewat W 23-16 preview
Bears
NFC
vs Wk 12 · scheduled previewat W 9-3 preview
Falcons
NFC
at Wk 13 · scheduled previewvs Wk 12 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Vikings leads 24–16 · Vikings has won the last 2
40 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 3.2 points toward Vikings
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20252025-12-25Lions 10 — 23 Vikingsat MINVikings
20252025-11-02Vikings 27 — 24 Lionsat DETVikings
20242025-01-05Vikings 9 — 31 Lionsat DETLions
20242024-10-20Lions 31 — 29 Vikingsat MINLions
20232024-01-07Vikings 20 — 30 Lionsat DETLions
20232023-12-24Lions 30 — 24 Vikingsat MINLions
20222022-12-11Vikings 23 — 34 Lionsat DETLions
20222022-09-25Lions 24 — 28 Vikingsat MINVikings
20212021-12-05Vikings 27 — 29 Lionsat DETLions
20212021-10-10Lions 17 — 19 Vikingsat MINVikings
20202021-01-03Vikings 37 — 35 Lionsat DETVikings
20202020-11-08Lions 20 — 34 Vikingsat MINVikings
20192019-12-08Lions 7 — 20 Vikingsat MINVikings
20192019-10-20Vikings 42 — 30 Lionsat DETVikings
20182018-12-23Vikings 27 — 9 Lionsat DETVikings
20182018-11-04Lions 9 — 24 Vikingsat MINVikings
20172017-11-23Vikings 30 — 23 Lionsat DETVikings
20172017-10-01Lions 14 — 7 Vikingsat MINLions
20162016-11-24Vikings 13 — 16 Lionsat DETLions
20162016-11-06Lions 22 — 16 Vikingsat MINLions
20152015-10-25Vikings 28 — 19 Lionsat DETVikings
20152015-09-20Lions 16 — 26 Vikingsat MINVikings
20142014-12-14Vikings 14 — 16 Lionsat DETLions
20142014-10-12Lions 17 — 3 Vikingsat MINLions
20132013-12-29Lions 13 — 14 Vikingsat MINVikings
20132013-09-08Vikings 24 — 34 Lionsat DETLions
20122012-11-11Lions 24 — 34 Vikingsat MINVikings
20122012-09-30Vikings 20 — 13 Lionsat DETVikings
20112011-12-11Vikings 28 — 34 Lionsat DETLions
20112011-09-25Lions 26 — 23 Vikingsat MINLions
20102011-01-02Vikings 13 — 20 Lionsat DETLions
20102010-09-26Lions 10 — 24 Vikingsat MINVikings
20092009-11-15Lions 10 — 27 Vikingsat MINVikings
20092009-09-20Vikings 27 — 13 Lionsat DETVikings
20082008-12-07Vikings 20 — 16 Lionsat DETVikings
20082008-10-12Lions 10 — 12 Vikingsat MINVikings
20072007-12-02Lions 10 — 42 Vikingsat MINVikings
20072007-09-16Vikings 17 — 20 Lionsat DETLions
20062006-12-10Vikings 30 — 20 Lionsat DETVikings
20062006-10-08Lions 17 — 26 Vikingsat MINVikings

Lions leaders 2026 regular season

PassingJared Goff QB #16109/161, 1214 YDS, 9 TD
RushingJahmyr Gibbs RB #080 CAR, 353 YDS, 5 TD
Sione Vaki RB #339 CAR, 40 YDS
Jared Goff QB #169 CAR, 15 YDS
ReceivingAmon-Ra St. Brown WR #1431 REC, 303 YDS, 5 TD
Jameson Williams WR #116 REC, 229 YDS
Sam LaPorta TE #8722 REC, 228 YDS, 2 TD
Jahmyr Gibbs RB #022 REC, 187 YDS, 2 TD
Defense
TacklesJack Campbell LB #4633
D.J. Reed CB #430
Chuck Clark S #3628
SacksAidan Hutchinson DE #973.5
DJ Wonnum LB #983
Alim McNeill DT #543
InterceptionsChuck Clark S #361
Derrick Barnes LB #551
full roster and per-player history

Vikings leaders 2026 regular season

PassingKyler Murray QB #145/71, 433 YDS, 1 TD, 2 INT
Carson Wentz QB #1123/39, 276 YDS, 3 TD
RushingAaron Jones Sr. RB #3372 CAR, 297 YDS, 1 TD
Jordan Mason RB #2715 CAR, 59 YDS, 1 TD
Kyler Murray QB #110 CAR, 42 YDS
ReceivingT.J. Hockenson TE #8722 REC, 195 YDS, 1 TD
Justin Jefferson WR #1813 REC, 179 YDS, 2 TD
Jordan Addison WR #311 REC, 163 YDS, 1 TD
Aaron Jones Sr. RB #339 REC, 68 YDS
Defense
TacklesBlake Cashman LB #5133
Joshua Metellus S #4425
Eric Wilson LB #5524
SacksDallas Turner LB #155.5
Andrew Van Ginkel LB #433
Blake Cashman LB #512.5
InterceptionsAndrew Van Ginkel LB #431
Byron Murphy Jr. CB #71
Isaiah Rodgers CB #21
full roster and per-player history
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since signed elsewhere, been traded or retired still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game.