The Minnesota Vikings will look to bounce back in Week 3 after getting humbled by the Philadelphia Eagles on a national stage during Monday Night Football. With a clash against the Detroit Lions looming, the Vikings will be eager to show that last week was a fluke and that they are true contenders out of the NFC North. It's time to dive into this matchup with some Minnesota Vikings Week 3 predictions for their matchup vs. the Lions.
While the Lions are a vastly improved team to what we've seen in years past, the talented Vikings' offense should be capable of putting enough points on the board to deliver a win. Kirk Cousins had a game to forget on Monday night, as he often does in primetime, so he'll be eager to leave that performance in the rear-view mirror.
The defense will also be looking for a better go of things after surrendering 24 points against the Eagles, all of which came during the first half. While they fared better during the second half, it wasn't enough to keep the Vikings within striking distance.
A win would see the Vikings improve to 2-1 and maintain their spot atop the NFC North, where every team is off to a 1-1 start. With all that in mind, let's move on to our Vikings Week 3 predictions.
Minnesota Vikings bold predictions for Week 3 vs. Lions
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4. Vikings score on opening drive
After running just 21 plays during the first half against the Eagles, the entire Vikings squad will be keen to have a faster start in Sunday's showdown. Getting points on the board early will be a must for the team as they look to fend off a surprisingly solid Lions offense.
Minnesota's lack of offense sealed their fate against the Eagles. Not only were they unable to move the ball at all in the first half, but things didn't get much better in the second half either. They'll want to correct that by getting into a rhythm early on Sunday and setting the tone for themselves with a touchdown on the first drive.
After dominating the Packers, the Vikings took a big step backward in Week 2. They'll hope to get back on track in Week 3, and the best way to do that would be to get one of their star players the ball in the end zone before the Lions even get a chance to make something happen. An early lead would give Cousins and Co. the confidence to play their best ball throughout the game, and not have to force big plays in order to keep themselves close.
3. Dalvin Cook gets back on track
The game script did not favor Dalvin Cook in Week 2, but it should in Week 3. The ugly loss against Philly saw Cook register just six carries in the game, managing only 17 yards in his limited opportunities. That's a travesty for the Vikings, who are well aware that Cook is one of the most important players on the offense. Getting the ball in his hands more frequently should be a top priority for the Vikings offense, particularly against a Lions defense that hasn't defended well against the run.
Through the first two weeks of the season, the Lions have allowed an average of 152.0 rushing yards per game. That's the seventh-worst rushing defense in the NFL, something the Vikings should be looking to take advantage of.
After the game script forced the Vikings to trust Cousins' arm way too much in Week 2, the Vikings could look to lean more heavily on Cook in Week 3 vs. the Lions, as he will be well-rested after his minimal involvement against the Eagles.
2. Justin Jefferson has another huge game
The Eagles held Justin Jefferson to six catches and 48 yards in their Monday Night showdown. While Darius Slay was a man on a mission during that clash, the Lions don't have any defensive backs on par with the Eagles' star. That means a monster game for Justin Jefferson could be on the way.
In Week 1 against a decent Packers' defense, though not shadowed by Jaire Alexander, Jefferson exploded for nine receptions, 184 yards, and two touchdowns. Unstoppable throughout all four quarters, Jefferson presented a major problem for the Packers defense.
Through their first two games, the Lions have surrendered the sixth-most passing yards per game at 273.5. This bodes extremely well for the Cousins-Jefferson stack. The wide receiver shouldn't struggle too much to create separation within the Lions' secondary. So long as Cousins puts the ball within his catch radius, Jefferson won't have an issue bringing the ball down.
We're expecting a huge game from Jefferson, something along the lines of 8+ catches, 125+ yards, and at least one touchdown.
1. Vikings' defense shuts down Detroit, Minnesota wins by 2+ scores
There are two key players the Vikings will have to manage to slow down on Sunday; Amon-Ra St. Brown and D'Andre Swift. The two offensive stars have helped carry the Lions thus far into the season, and the Vikings need to ensure those two are locked down at all times.
St. Brown has been electric and his chemistry with Goff seems to improve each and every week. Putting Patrick Peterson on the young wide receiver could be a solution the Vikings look to implement in order to keep St. Brown from continuing his utter domination of NFL secondaries. If the Vikings can also prevent Swift from breaking away with any big runs, they will have a vastly better chance at mitigating a Lions offense that has put up 35 and 36 points through its first two games, respectively.
Assuming the Vikings are able to keep those two from any game-breaking plays, they should comfortably win this game by no fewer than 10 points.
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