2023 · Week 16 · Division

Final

Lions

Detroit

QB Jared Goff

30·24

Vikings

Minnesota

QB Nick Mullens

U.S. Bank Stadium · dome · sportturf

Closing spread

DET -2.5

Total

47.5

Model margin

+4.5est.

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
  • +0.058EPA / play-0.025
  • 45.9%Success rate43.2%
  • +0.110EPA / dropback+0.039
  • -0.014EPA / rush-0.158
  • 11.2%Explosive rate9.4%
  • +1.34CPOE+2.80
  • 42.4%Third-down rate37.5%
  • 65.2%Red-zone TD rate56.4%
  • 2.29Points / drive1.84
  • 1.9%Turnover rate3.0%

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
2022 · W14MIN @ DET2334DET
2022 · W3DET @ MIN2428MIN
2021 · W13MIN @ DET2729DET

Box score

Individual performances

Lions

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Jared Goff30/4025710

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Jahmyr Gibbs15805.32
David Montgomery17553.21
Kalif Raymond188.00
Jared Goff300.00

Vikings

Passing

PlayerC/AttYdsTDINT
Nick Mullens22/3641124

Rushing

PlayerCarYdsAvgTD
Ty Chandler8172.11
Nick Mullens111.00
Alexander Mattison2-1-0.50

Receiving

PlayerRecTgtYdsTD
Justin Jefferson6101411
K.J. Osborn57951
T.J. Hockenson44580
Brandon Powell34530
Josh Oliver12330
Johnny Mundt13230
Jordan Addison1420

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 -2.53.6%6.6%7.5%3.2%4.9%3.2%

Positive margins favour Vikings; negative favour Lions.

Half-point at risk

1.93%

outcomes that flip if the line moves 0.5

Model home win

61.0%

Expected total

45.5est.

Model

Where the number comes from

Each component is additive, in points of expected margin.

  • Team ratings (opponent-adjusted EPA)-1.78
  • Home-field advantage+1.71
  • Quarterback adjustment+4.56
  • Rest differential0.00
  • Expected margin+4.48