This Thursday is Thanksgiving, and that means we will be treated to not one, not two, but three NFL games! The first of those games will see two teams that sit atop the NFC North with a 6-4 record. The Minnesota Vikings will head to the Motor City where they will take on Thanksgiving staple, the Detroit Lions. The Vikings are coming off a 30-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The Lions also walked away with a win last week, beating the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 26-19.

Last week saw the Vikings finally wake up after a very long slump, as they had suffered a four game losing streak following their week six bye. During that losing streak, the team lost at home to the Lions in week nine by a score of 22-16. The Vikings are currently 2-3 on the road, and now face a team that beat them only a few weeks ago away from home. The team’s offense is one of the worst in the league, but their defense should help keep them in this game. If the defense steps up, the team could be looking at a split with their divisional opponents this season.

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The Lions have been one of those teams many expected to be near the bottom of the pile this year. But here we are, in week 12, and the team is on top of the NFC North. The team is the complete opposite of the Vikings, as they bolster a strong offense, led by quarterback Matthew Stafford, while their defense is mediocre at best. The club is 4-1 in their home stadium, which bodes well for them entering this week.

But this is one of those games I need to stick with my gut. With the Lions able to walk past the Jaguars last week, they enter this game with minimal hype. The Vikings on the other hand turned their fortunes around last week by topping the Cards, and now they take on a team they will surely be seeking revenge on. Both teams are playing for first place in the division, and I think that is exactly the type of game that sees this Vikings defense step up.

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Line: Det -2.5, O/U: 43

Pick: Vikings and the under

Result: Det 16 – Min 13, Lions and the under

To see the spreads and over/under for each week 12 match-up, make sure you head over to our master sheet right here!