2005 · Week 13 · Division

Final

Vikings

Minnesota

QB Brad Johnson

21·16

Lions

Detroit

QB Jeff Garcia

Ford Field · dome · fieldturf

Closing spread

MIN -3

Total

38

Model margin

+2.2est.

DET perspective

Push chance

7.0%est.

the line sits on a key number

Win probability

  • Lions
  • Vikings

How each play moved the game.

Lions winsVikings wins

Matchup

Where the edges are

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

Vikingsedge mapLions
  • -0.074EPA / play-0.102
  • 40.6%Success rate38.8%
  • -0.009EPA / dropback-0.109
  • -0.185EPA / rush-0.090
  • 7.1%Explosive rate5.7%
  • 33.7%Third-down rate38.8%
  • 48.7%Red-zone TD rate54.3%
  • 1.46Points / drive1.20
  • 2.7%Turnover rate2.8%
  • -0.028EPA / play allowed-0.020

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. DET 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

Vikings

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Brad Johnson17/2325620

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Michael Bennett22793.61
Ciatrick Fason4133.30
Koren Robinson199.00
Brad Johnson482.00
Mewelde Moore1-6-6.00

Lions

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jeff Garcia17/3512601

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Artose Pinner14644.61
Shawn Bryson6294.80
Jeff Garcia3124.00

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 -34.0%2.7%7.0%7.5%3.1%4.7%3.0%

Positive margins favour Lions; negative favour Vikings.

Half-point at risk

7.03%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

55.1%

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 adjustment+0.87
  • Rest differential+0.24
  • Expected margin+2.23