Which NFL team have the Vikings won the most games against in franchise history? Now, which team has the longest active win streak against Minnesota?

If you guessed the Detroit Lions, you are correct.

The Vikings have won more games against the Lions than any other opponent, with Minnesota defeating Detroit 80 times. The Lions, however, have had the Vikings number the past five times they've met, which is the longest active win streak by an opponent against Minnesota by one game (the Vikings have lost four straight to the Los Angeles Rams, including last season's playoff contest).

When Minnesota (3-4) visits Detroit (5-2) at noon (CT) Sunday, getting out to a quick lead will be crucial for the Vikings, who have struggled to generate points (18^th in the NFL in scoring at 22.1 points per game), especially in the first half. While exactly half of Minnesota's scoring plays on offense this season have come on field goals (14 of 28), 11 of the Vikings 14 offensive scoring plays in the first half have been via a field goal (78.6%). Minnesota also had 14 total scoring plays on offense through seven games in 2024 on field goals, but scored four times more overall (14 of 32, 43.8%).

Detroit, meanwhile, has been rolling on offense. The Lions rank third in the NFL in scoring (30.7 points per game) and have averaged 37.0 points in their five victories this season compared to just 15.0 in their two losses.

In the first half of games this year, Detroit has had only four of its 17 offensive scoring plays come on field goals (23.5%). That's the exact same number Minnesota had on first-half scoring plays during its first seven games last season, when the 2024 Vikings posted an identical 5-2 record as this year's Lions team.

Let's see who the experts are picking to win the game:

Lions 31, Vikings 20 – Pete Prisco, CBS Sports

The Vikings are playing with 10 days rest, while the Lions are coming off a much-needed bye. The Lions will be getting some injured players back healthy, while the Vikings will get J.J. McCarthy back at quarterback. He will face a tough challenge trying to keep up with the Lions offense. Look for a big day from Jared Goff as the Lions win it.

Lions 36, Vikings 22 – Bill Bender, Sporting News

The Lions are 2-1-1 after a bye week under Dan Campbell. How will Minnesota slow down a Detroit offense that ranks third in the NFL with 30.7 points per game? The Lions have won the last three home meetings by 10 points or more and average 36.7 points at Ford Field.

Lions 34, Vikings 17 – Vinnie Iyer, Sporting News

A growing problem is a [Vikings] defense breaking down in many areas, especially against the run and aggressive downfield passing. The Lions can do just that with Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, setting up Jared Goff to stretch the field well. The Vikings mini-bye is negated by the Lions' actual bye.

0 of 5 experts pick the Vikings, NFL.com

Analysis from NFL.com's Gennaro Filice:

What should we expect from J.J. McCarthy? The No. 10 overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft missed his entire rookie campaign following a preseason knee injury, but the Vikings still allowed Pro Bowl QB Sam Darnold to walk in free agency this past March, clearing the way for the second-year pro to assume the starting role. McCarthy took the reins for the first two games of this season, and the results were mixed – in extreme fashion.

McCarthy in Week 1's fourth quarter: 6-8, 87 pass yds, 2 pass TD, 1 rush TD, 149.5 passer rating.

McCarthy in the other seven quarters: 18-33, 214 pass yds, 0 TD, 3 INT, 1 fumble lost, 36.7 passer rating.

How will J.J. perform in this quasi-homecoming at Ford Field, with many Lions fans split between the grateful (Wolverine backers) and the hateful (Sparty supporters)? More directly, how will J.J. fare against former Michigan teammate Aidan Hutchinson and a Detroit defense that's been stellar at home? It feels like an uphill battle for a 22-year-old seeking his second good quarter in his third NFL game, especially if the Vikings defense continues to disappoint.

0 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, Bleacher Report

Bleacher Report analysis by Gary Davenport:

It's a red flag any time we all agree on a pick, but it's hard to justify taking the Vikings, even with a spread this big.

Bleacher Report analysis by Kris Knox:

It looks like we're all on the Lions, which is understandable. Detroit has moved past whatever issues it had with its double-coordinator change and is every bit the powerhouse it was a year ago. … It's just hard to back a quarterback with two career starts on the road in Detroit. Of course, none of this guarantees the Lions will run away with this one.

Divisional games are always unpredictable, and the Lions, even coming out of their bye, have more defensive injury concerns than any team would be comfortable having. If the Vikings – who rank 28th in average drive time – prevent their 14th-ranked defense from having to carry the load again, they should have a chance of keeping this one close.

0 of 7 experts pick the Vikings, The MMQB

0 of 9 experts (2 of 11 total had not submitted) pick the Vikings, ESPN

0 of 6 experts (1 of 7 total had not submitted) pick the Vikings, The Athletic

Thought from The Athletic's J.J. Bailey:

While Minnesota isn't mathematically out of the playoffs, the Vikings recent struggles have dumped them into the NFC's Better Luck Next Year bin. Their division is a two-horse race between Super Bowl candidates. The NFC West looks to have three teams headed for the postseason. Add that all up, and the Vikes have a lot of bodies to climb over if they want to see January football.

They desperately need an upset in a game like this, and the oddsmakers are clearly telling them, "Too bad." Minnesota opened as an 8.5-point dog in Detroit, and that has widened to a 9-point spread on some books. The Vikings have J.J. McCarthy and Max Brosmer at quarterback, a duo responsible for 49 NFL passes.

The Lions just dismantled the Bucs, then took a week to rest up, so it wouldn't be surprising if the spread widened to 10 by the end of this sentence.

0 of 6 experts pick the Vikings, USA Today

Series Notes

The Vikings and Lions have met 127 times in their history, with Minnesota holding an 80-45-2 lead in the series. Detroit has won six of the past eight meetings against Minnesota dating back to the 2021 season. The two teams have split the past 10 matchups in Detroit, however, with each side winning four straight (Vikings from 2017-2020; Lions from 2021-2024).

Detroit has been a scoring machine at home, scoring 29 points or more in each of the past six games held there against Minnesota. The Vikings scored 20 or more points in those meetings at Ford Field until their 31-9 loss to close the regular season last year, a game that awarded the Lions their second consecutive NFC North title and a top seed and first-round bye in the playoffs.

During its current five-game win streak against Minnesota, Detroit has averaged 31.2 points per game while the Vikings have averaged 21 points per contest.

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