Detroit Lions Are Underdogs For Fifth Straight Week, This Time Against Minnesota Vikings

The car is red.

For the fifth time this season, the Detroit Lions are expected to be underdogs in Week 5.

The Lions will be playing their last NFC North road game in a four-week span when they face the Minnesota Vikings at 1 p.m., following their 24-14 loss in Chicago on Sunday.

DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, and PointsBet had the Lions listed as 10-point underdogs in Michigan sportsbooks. However, FanDuel Sportsbook and BetRivers had them as 9.5-point underdogs on Monday. Initially, during the summer, the Vikings were favored by 8.5 points according to the released lines.

The line had stabilized at 10 points across all platforms by Sunday, despite the significant injury news for Minnesota.

In Week 5, the Lions ranked as the second-largest underdog on the board, with only Miami being ahead (+11 at Tampa Bay).

On Friday, the point spread for the total number of points in the game was set at 49.5, and this was consistent across almost all sportsbooks.

Following that, Minnesota began the season with a record of 1-3, suffering a 14-7 defeat against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday.

Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings: NFL Week 5 Odds

Injury situation appears to be getting better for Lions

Following the unfortunate loss of Romeo Okwara for the season during the game against Chicago last week, the Lions received positive news regarding their medical situation this week.

On Friday, when the game update was made available, none of the active Lions players were listed as out. However, Trey Flowers, T.J. Hockenson, Penei Sewell, D’Andre Swift, and Jamaal Williams were all listed as questionable.

Regrettably, this marks an advancement for a team that has already suffered significant absences of Jeff Okudah, Tyrell Williams, and Taylor Decker.

Lions squander chances in Week 4 loss at Chicago

On Sunday, the Lions faced a struggling Bears team at Soldier Field, whose offense seemed to lack direction.

In a game that showcased his potential, Bears’ newcomer Justin Fields delivered an impressive performance. The former Ohio State standout completed 12 of his 18 passing attempts, accumulating a total of 215 yards. However, his stellar display was marred by a single interception from the underdog Lions, who entered the game as 3-point underdogs.

In the meantime, Detroit displayed overall offensive efficiency but failed to capitalize on early opportunities within the red zone. Despite quarterback Jared Goff and the offense making their way into the red zone on four occasions, they were unable to convert any of them into points.

In the loss, Lions coach Dan Campbell showcased his aggressive nature by opting for fourth down conversions twice, unfortunately missing both attempts. Despite this setback, there was a silver lining as Kalif Raymond demonstrated his prowess with two touchdown catches.

Detroit started the season on a sour note, suffering defeats against San Francisco, Green Bay, and Baltimore. However, they have managed to turn things around and currently hold a 2-2 record against the spread.

Dalvin Cook’s health a question for time being

The health of star running back Dalvin Cook has been the Vikings’ most significant development this season. However, there is uncertainty as he is officially listed as questionable for the game. On Sunday morning, it was announced that Cook would not be participating in the game.

The former Florida State student could not participate in Minnesota’s Week 3 match due to an ankle injury and was labeled as uncertain for the game against the Browns on Sunday. Despite this, Cook managed to play, although he only had nine carries and gained 34 yards in a restricted role.

Kirk Cousins, a Michigan State alumnus, holds the quarterback position for the Vikings. Originating from Holland, he became a subject of controversy during the offseason due to his choice of not getting vaccinated, resulting in criticism from coach Mike Zimmer.

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