2005 · Week 9 · Division

Final

Lions

Detroit

QB Joey Harrington

14·27

Vikings

Minnesota

QB Brad Johnson

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome · dome · fieldturf

Closing spread

DET -1.5

Total

37.5

Model margin

+4.0est.

MIN perspective

Push chance

None

half-point line — cannot push

Win probability

  • Vikings
  • Lions

How each play moved the game.

Vikings winsLions wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

Season-long league percentiles for both sides, mirrored. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge.

Lionsedge mapVikings
  • -0.102EPA / play-0.074
  • 38.8%Success rate40.6%
  • -0.109EPA / dropback-0.009
  • -0.090EPA / rush-0.185
  • 5.7%Explosive rate7.1%
  • 38.8%Third-down rate33.7%
  • 54.3%Red-zone TD rate48.7%
  • 1.20Points / drive1.46
  • 2.8%Turnover rate2.7%
  • -0.020EPA / play allowed-0.028

Bar length is league percentile, already oriented so longer is better. The saturated side of a lopsided row holds the edge; rows within ~12 points are washed as even.

The rivalry

MIN lead 36–18 since 1999

MIN have won 2 straight. Meetings average 44.5 points. MIN are 25-25-4 ATS in the series.

Previous meetings
SeasonMatchupScoreWinner
2025 · W17DET @ MIN1023MIN
2025 · W9MIN @ DET2724MIN
2024 · W18MIN @ DET931DET
2024 · W7DET @ MIN3129DET
2023 · W18MIN @ DET2030DET
2023 · W16DET @ MIN3024DET
2022 · W14MIN @ DET2334DET
2022 · W3DET @ MIN2428MIN

Box score

Individual performances

Lions

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Joey Harrington28/4826312

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Joey Harrington4174.30
Shawn Bryson3155.00
Kevin Jones7152.10
Artose Pinner6111.81

Vikings

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Brad Johnson15/2213620

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Michael Bennett181065.90
Mewelde Moore11494.50
Ciatrick Fason5102.01
Brad Johnson1-1-1.00

Where this game is likely to land

  • Model
  • Smooth (normal)
  • Betting line

Probability of each final margin. Football scoring clusters — the spikes at 3 and 7 are real, and a smooth model misses them.

line -1.53.7%6.7%7.5%3.2%4.9%3.2%2.9%

Positive margins favour Vikings; negative favour Lions.

Half-point at risk

2.03%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

59.8%

Expected total

43.4est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)+1.44
  • Home-field advantage+2.56
  • Quarterback adjustment0.00
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+4.01