Late last night, news broke that Vikings vs Lions was being flexed to Sunday Night Football, which is no surprise, given what’s on the line. Not only will next week’s matchup decide the winner of the NFC North, it’ll also decide who gets the No. 1 seed in the NFC, which includes a bye in the Wildcard round. The loser, of course, will drop to the No. 5 seed, which would mean a road game in the Wildcard round.

Week 18 NFL Betting Odds: Minnesota Vikings early underdogs vs Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions have yet to play their week 17 game, which will happen on Monday night vs the San Francisco 49ers. But that doesn’t mean week 18 oddsmakers aren’t open for business on Vikings vs Lions. After Minnesota defeated Green Bay, major sportsbooks opened them as either +2.5 point (FD, DK) to +3 point (ESPN Bet) underdogs.

Since early November the Minnesota Vikings have mostly operated as weekly favorites. They’ll have a different reality in Week 18 against the Detroit Lions. The Vikings are 8-4-1 against the spread, through their first 16 games this season.

There are some discussions within the sports betting community as to how much homefield advantage should really be worth. Traditionally, it is worth three points, which would mean this is a pick ’em game on a neutral field. Many experts have moved it to a 1.5 point advantage.

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in a Mostly Dominant Victory vs Packers

In the first Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions game of the 2024 season, Darnold went 22-of-27 for 259 yards while splitting touchdowns and interceptions to one apiece. He used his legs for 39 yards and will continue to keep the Lions defense on their toes.

Darnold launches deep to Addison for 51 yards!

📺: #DETvsMIN on FOX
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/LKMgUI6vYE

— NFL (@NFL) October 20, 2024

This is not a very healthy Detroit Lions team, right now. David Montgomery is out with injury, leaving Jahmyr Gibbs as the lone productive running back. Their defense is also dealing with a significant amount of injuries. The Vikings lost Aaron Jones in the 2nd half vs the Packers. His status is TBD.

On Sunday Night Football, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 30-13, a win that didn’t just help the 10-4 Packers’ chances of making the NFL Playoffs, but a win that officially clinched a postseason spot for their division rival Vikings.

Playoff berth clinched ✅https://t.co/EXg2ISGZv9 pic.twitter.com/f6HxfS5qXb

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 16, 2024

So, now that our favorite football team is officially in the 2024-25 NFC playoff bracket, what’s next? That’s a great question, because the Minnesota Vikings still have four games remaining on their 2024 schedule (including tonight’s bout vs the Bears). And there is a lot left to be decided, prior to playoff seeds becoming final.

Minnesota Vikings hold their own NFC destiny after clinching 2024 playoff spot

But wait, there is more good news. The Packers weren’t the only NFC North rival to help the Vikings out, over the weekend. So did the Detroit Lions, who dropped to 12-2 on Sunday afternoon, after suffering a 48-42 loss vs MVP favorite Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.

Now… as long as the Minnesota Vikings win tonight, there will be three 12-2 NFC teams, entering week 16 — the Eagles, Lions and Vikings. The NFL’s tiebreaker scenarios are not easy to understand, but even if the Eagles and Vikings both win out, it is believed Minnesota holds the playoff tiebreaker between the two teams.

That is confirmed by ESPN’s “Playoff Machine”, which places the Vikings as the No. 1 seed in the NFC, should both teams finish 15-2. That means, by all accounts, the Minnesota Vikings hold their own playoff destiny, including for the No. 1 overall seed.

So, if Kevin O’Connell & Co can win out, the Vikings will be 2024 NFC North Champions and get the only first round bye in the NFC for 2024-25. What about the Detroit Lions?

Related: NFL Exec: Talking Heads Do Not Understand How Much Vikings Love JJ McCarthy

Remember, Minnesota and Detroit play each other in week 18, the NFL regular season finale. If both teams are 14-2, entering that matchup, it will decide both the division and the regular season NFC Champion.

What’s the difference between winning the NFC North and getting a wildcard berth?

As fun as this season has been, it would be mostly for nothing, if the Vikings cannot catch the Lions. Finish behind Detroit, and the highest seed Minnesota can get is No. 5. That would mean no first round bye and no first round home game. Instead, they’d have to go on the road to Los Angeles, Seattle, Atlanta, Arizona or Tampa Bay.

The 4-9 Bears are losers of seven-straight games, and the 11-2 Vikings have won five-straight. But we know better than to get ahead of ourselves, in this sports town. Sure, everyone is picking Minnesota, and for good reason. But the pressure is now on tonight, in prime time.

Related: Stephon Gilmore Injury Update: Vikings CB1 Could Play vs Bears

The Vikings are at home, and they are playing a struggling, inferior opponent, that appears just as ready to play golf as they are football. Do your job, and the NFL world will be your oyster. But we’ve seen this story before. The purple are just -7 favorites, at home, too. That tells us Vegas is a bit leary too.

Are the Minnesota Vikings really not in the Detroit Lions tier?

Through their first 12 games of the season, the Minnesota Vikings are 10-2. The losses came against the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams. The divisional loss was by just two points, and the Vikings have gone on a second five-game winning streak in the weeks since. The Athletic doesn’t see Minnesota in the same class as Dan Campbell’s team though, and they went as far as suggesting it won’t be a real matchup between the teams to end the year.

“They’re well-coached, tough, really good on defense and have skill players who shine in clutch moments, which is a pretty nice recipe for going 7-1 in one-possession games. We’re about to get a really good read on the Vikings’ playoff chances, as they close the season against the Seahawks, Packers and Lions, although Detroit might be in position to spoil a fun matchup by resting its starters.”

Minnesota Vikings playoff perspectives (The Athletic)

Any suggestion that a Week 18 matchup won’t include starters suggests that Minnesota and Detroit will end the regular season on different notes. With the teams separated by just a single game currently, the Lions would need to win in order to create a tie atop the division. Apparently the Vikings remaining schedule doesn’t sit well with Jeff Howe and Austin Mock.

Related: Kevin O’Connell Coach of the Year Odds are Confusing…

Before the year started it was the early-season slate that was considered a gauntlet for Minnesota. Despite handling each of those opponents, the narrative has now flipped with the final weeks being checked off.

Minnesota and Detroit tale of the tape

Detroit hosts games against good teams the next two weeks. Despite being at Ford Field, it’s conceivable that they lose to both the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills. Road games against Chicago and San Francisco shouldn’t provide much of a threat, but that lines up a final date with the Vikings.

This play is crazy @jongreenard7 🤣pic.twitter.com/HY8CgelR5P

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) November 24, 2024

On the flip side, Minnesota should be favored in each matchup until they see Detroit. The Vikings won’t welcome Kirk Cousins back kindly on Sunday, and then face lackluster teams like Chicago (home) and Seattle (away). Minnesota already beat the Packers this season, and while Jordan Love wasn’t 100% in that matchup, it was on the road at Lambeau Field.

$220 mil QB. $55 mil/year.

Rough. pic.twitter.com/AeSoB1SOS8

— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) October 3, 2024

Related: Minnesota Vikings Open as Week 14 Favorites vs Kirk Cousins’ Falcons

These Vikings aren’t the 2022 version where luck played a significant factor en route to a 13-4 record. This group is winning one-possession games because they have a defense that shows up on a weekly basis. That translates against any opponent, and their league-best ability to stop the run is a serious asset.

Ultimately it seems like the division should come down to that Week 18 matchup against Detroit, and casting aside Minnesota as The Athletic has appears foolish. In a season where everyone counted them out, the Vikings have everything to play for in the final third.

Minnesota Vikings playoff chances

As of now, the Vikings would land the 5th seed, on the NFC side of the NFL playoff bracket. The 5-seed in each conference is reserved for the top Wildcard, after the four division winners on each side (North, South, East, West).

If the playoffs started today, Minnesota would matchup vs the NFC West leading, Arizona Cardinals, in the “Wildcard Round”. There is one bye, for the top team from each conference. As of today, that’s the Detroit Lions, in the NFC.

Where we will stand after 10 weeks of NFL football pic.twitter.com/VfdpREfn7Y

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) November 11, 2024

So, how likely are the Vikings to make the playoffs? Right now, NFL.com’s Next Gen Stats have them sitting at a solid 91% chance of clinching a playoff spot.

In terms of betting odds, according to DraftKings, the Vikings are sitting -900 to make the playoffs, meaning you’d have to bet $900, just to win $100. Meanwhile, they are +600 to miss the postseason (bet $100, win $600). Basically, they’re nearly a playoff lock… but still have work to do.

Related: 5 Metrics That Shaped Minnesota Vikings Victory Over Jaguars

With the season just over half done, the Minnesota Vikings would have to go 3-5, in their remaining games, to finish 10-7, a record that would put them on the playoff bubble, given how good the NFC is this season.

11 wins would get them in for sure. But let’s be real, 3-5 or 4-5 down the stretch would still feel pretty disappointing, especially being that the back-half of their schedule is much easier than the front-half was.

Minnesota Vikings NFC North odds

With one game still remaining against the division-leading Detroit Lions, the Minnesota Vikings are still very much in the hunt to win the NFC North, just one game behind. And the battle for the NFC North currently looks like the battle for top seed (and a bye) in the Wildcard round.

Currently, DraftKings has the Lions as -425 favorites to win the NFC North, meaning they don’t like the Vikings’ chances (+400) to take control of the North, be regular season’s end. Behind both Minnesota and Detroit, Green Bay is a distant +1200 to win the division. The Bears are waaaaaay back (+25000).

Related: Minnesota Vikings Open as Big Favorites in Week 11

As of Monay morning, the Lions are -185 to take the No. 1 seed in the NFC. The Philadelphia Eagles sit right behind them, at +450. The Vikings have the third best odds, at +600. If they can manage to tie the Lions’ recor, by the time they play each other in the season finale, week 18 could decide, not just the NFC North, but the entire outlook of the NFC playoff bracket.

Minnesota Vikings rivals wheeling and dealing this morning

If Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah suffers from FOMO, then he is feeling very left out this morning, after two NFC North rivals made splash trades early on Tuesday. First, the Detroit Lions traded a 5th round pick and a 6th round pick to the Cleveland Browns, for familiar EDGE rusher Za’Darius Smith and a 7th round pick.

Sources: The #Browns are trading standout edge Za'Darius Smith to the #Lions, who add a key presence on the edge to help make up for the loss of Aidan Hutchinson.

It’s Smith and a 2026 7th going to Detroit for a 2025 5th and a 2026 6th. A major move. pic.twitter.com/gtCs86rL97

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 5, 2024

Smith returns to the NFC North, after previous stints with both the Vikings and Green Bay Packers. In Cleveland, Za’Darius compiled 10.5 sacks in 25 games (5 this season), after recording 10 sacks in 16 games wearing purple and gold for one magical 2022 season.

The former Raven, Packer, Viking and now Brown has had a good, not great season. His 73.6 PFF grade is his lowest since 2018 (outside of 2021 when he was injured and only played 18 total snaps). His 39.3 tackle grade is by far the worst of his 10 year NFL career and his 71.1 pass rush grade is his worst since 2017.

Related: What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Get Right Victory Over Colts

But now he plays for the Detroit Lions, which will motivate Za’Darius Smith to play better. So I expect him to be a monster on the back half of 2024. No doubt, the division leading Lions got better this morning.

Chicago Bears sell off Khalil Herbert at NFL Trade Deadline

While the Detroit Lions got better this morning, the Chicago Bears might be going into sell mode, after falling to 4-4 over the weekend. The first sign of how the day could go came when they dealt once-promising running back Khalil Herbert to the Cincinnati Bengals for pennies on the dollar (7th round pick).

Source: The #Bears get a seventh-rounder in exchange for sending RB Khalil Herbert to the #Bengals.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 5, 2024

Herbert was drafted in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL Draft and, at one point, was supposed to be the backfield future for the Bears. Last year, in a split backfield with D’Onta Foreman, Herbert ran for 611 yards on 132 carries (4.6 YPC) and 2 touchdowns.

This season, with DeAndre Swift now on roster and taking nearly all rushing attempts in Chicago, Herbert has seen just 8 carries, which he has taken for 16 yards and a touchdown. According to PFF, the 26-year-old out of Virginia Tech has been on the field for just 27 total offensive snaps all season.

Related: 5 Minnesota Vikings Trade Targets Worth Trading a First-Round Pick For

Now, Herbert heads to Cincinnati and the Bears are heading for the bottom of the NFC North. Now, will the Minnesota Vikings counterpunch what the Detroit Lions did, in adding Za’Darius Smith? Or, are Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores happy with the personnel they have for the stretch run? We’ll find out the answers to all those questions over the next six hours before the NFL trade deadline hits at 3 p.m. CST.

Minnesota Vikings NFC North opponents seeking history

The NFC North is currently a juggernaut. No team in the division has a losing record, and each one has at least four wins. To say that’s impressive would be an understatement. That doesn’t mean the Minnesota Vikings and their rivals are all headed to the playoffs though. That would mean every other division only gets their winner to the playoffs, and there is still regression to happen in the North.

“Through six weeks, there has been only one intradivision game in the North: Minnesota’s two-point Week 4 victory over the Packers in Green Bay. That means these teams are all going to be playing each other a lot over the second half of the season. The Bears don’t play a division opponent until Week 11. I wasn’t a stats major or anything, but I’m pretty sure that when two teams play each other, only one can win. That means there are plenty of losses still to come for the teams in the NFC North, simply at the hands of each other.”

Dan Graziano on the NFC North (ESPN)

As Dan Graziano points out, six weeks is much too small of a sample to suggest that every NFC North team is playoff bound. The Detroit Lions were just altered in a significant way with the season-ending injury to Aidan Hutchinson. The Chicago Bears have largely gone untested. Green Bay lost the only game they have played against a divisional opponent.

DARNOLD AND JETTAS. ARE YOU KIDDING???

📺: #MINvsGB on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO909ge pic.twitter.com/7ueoBJbPGE

— NFL (@NFL) September 29, 2024

Related: The Minnesota Vikings are Better than the Chicago Bears

The Vikings and their divisional foes all look great right now. We’ll see some added context to that this weekend when Minnesota hosts Detroit. The Lions are coming off a drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys, but can their defense get the job done against arguably the best team they’ll have faced?

Related: Controversial NFL Insider Floats Minnesota Vikings QB Trade That Would Rock the NFL

More context will be added as the season goes on. Right now the Vikings are the cream of the crop, and they’ll need to keep fighting in order to stay there. The more each of these teams play each other, the better ideal we’ll have as to who is truly ready to make a run.

ESPN NFL insider says it’s an “overreaction” for the Vikings to win the NFC Conference

Although more and more people are buying into the Minnesota Vikings now, Dan Graziano (ESPN) is not one of them. In his most recent “overreation vs. not an overreation” piece following week five, he still believes it’s an “overreaction” for the Minnesota Vikings to win the NFC Conference.

Per @DanGrazianoESPN, despite the @Vikings being 5-0, it is an "overreaction" to say they are going to win the NFC. Largely in part due to the NFC North being so tough.

"Their out-of-division schedule isn't overly terrifying, and if they get playoff home games, they're going to… pic.twitter.com/SR4sGbmGSp

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 7, 2024

The Vikings packed their defense for their trip to London. They intercepted Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers three times; edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel returned one for a touchdown, and cornerback Stephon Gilmore had another that sealed the game in the final minute. As they did a week earlier in Green Bay, the Vikings built a big lead and almost frittered it away — but held on. And heading into their bye week, they are 5-0 — the lone NFC undefeated team.

Perhaps the surprise story of the season so far, Minnesota has rebuilt quarterback Sam Darnold’s game and is frustrating opposing offenses with Brian Flores’ disguised pressures. Darnold might be the early MVP front-runner, and Kevin O’Connell is building a strong case for Coach of the Year. An NFC North that looked in the preseason like a two-team race between the Lions and Packers has a surprise leader through five weeks, and the Vikings have looked like the best team in the NFL on both sides of the ball.

The good news about the Vikings’ 5-0 start is that 71 of the 85 teams that have started 5-0 in the Super Bowl era have gone on to make the playoffs. The bad news is that the last team that didn’t was … the 2016 Vikings, who crashed to an 8-8 record after a 5-0 start. So, Vikings fans know all too well not to party just yet. We’ll know more in two weeks after Minnesota has played the Lions, but this team already banked a huge division road win against the Packers. The Vikings absolutely, positively can win the NFC.

Their out-of-division schedule isn’t overly terrifying, and if they get playoff home games, they’re going to be very tough in their very loud building with that defense. It’s just still too soon, and the NFC North is still too tough, to say something like this with certainty, especially with Darnold having looked a bit more turnover-prone the past couple of games. Let’s let this one cook a while longer while everyone’s enjoying.

Dan Graziano (ESPN)

Graziano isn’t a full on believer yet of the Vikings, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t impressed with their 5-0 start. Especially, with the Sports Books having set the Minnesota Vikings at over / under 6.5 wins and projected to finish last in the NFC North.

Two main problems that are holding back the Vikings winning the NFC Conference

Graziano seems to believe two main things that are holding him back from potentially buying into the Minnesota Vikings winning the NFC Conference. The first is the NFC North being “too tough” and the second being Sam Darnold becoming a “bit more turnover-prone”.

There is some truth to this though. The NFC North is the only division in the entire NFL that has all their teams above .500. Plus, the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers were projected Super Bowl contenders heading into the season.

The NFC North is the only division in the #NFL that has all teams above .500 thru 5 weeks.#Vikings: 5-0#Lions: 3-1#Packers: 3-2#Bears: 3-2 pic.twitter.com/HXkm2sOiYj

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) October 8, 2024

Sam Darnold has also been turning the ball over more too the last two games. Darnold had two turnovers in the first three games, but now has four turnovers in the last two.

Related: Vikings Guard Ed Ingram was Hard to Watch vs Jets

Overall, Graziano is complimentary of the Vikings 5-0 start but is hesitant for the future. Some warranted, some not. In the end, the Minnesota Vikings are in control of their destiny. One game at a time, but the future seems bright given how this team is currently playing.

According to DVOA, the Vikings have a 91.4% chance of making the playoffs. But what are the odds of them taking the division title? Oddsmakers are now favoring the Vikings to win the NFC North.

Minnesota Vikings favored to win NFC North following week 5

The Minnesota Vikings have faced one of the toughest schedules in the league, already going up against teams like the 49ers, Texans, and Packers. Despite the challenge, the Vikings haven’t flinched, coming out on top in each game. Now, with their strong start, Vegas finally has them favored to win the NFC North.

Current NFC North Odds

• Minnesota Vikings -115
• Detroit Lions +175
• Green Bay Packers +700
• Chicago Bears +1500

At the start of the season, the odds had the Minnesota Vikings finishing at the bottom of the division. But they’ve defied expectations, surprising both NFL fans and even their own fans.

Preseason NFC North Odds

• Detroit Lions +150 
• Green Bay Packers +225
• Chicago Bears +350
• Minnesota Vikings +750

It’s wild to think about, but the Minnesota Vikings aren’t just 5-0, they’re 5-0 in what many are calling the best division in football. The NFC North has emerged as a powerhouse this season, with all four teams sporting winning records as of Week 5. It’s the only division in the NFL that can make that claim, proving just how competitive it is this year.

All four teams have shown they’re serious contenders for the NFC North title this year. A key stat backing that up is that the Packers, Bears, and Vikings currently rank first, second, and third in takeaways this season, with each defense proving to be relentless in forcing turnovers.

The Vikings are off to a strong start in the NFC North with a 1-0 record after their Week 4 win over the Green Bay Packers. However, every division game will be crucial as the race for the top spot is likely to go down to the wire.

Some experts have absolutely no faith in what the Vikings are doing, and neither do the sportsbooks, who pin them on just 6.5 wins. Others are more optimistic and want to buy all of the Sam Darnold hype that those inside TCO Performance Center are trying to sell.

NFL Insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated (MMQB) isn’t willing to make any bold predictions on what the 2024 Minnesota Vikings are capable of, but he did mention them in his latest article as a team whose future he feels good about.

Of course, Breer named the obvious teams before them. The 49ers have been good since Shanahan got there and there’s no reason to believe that will end anytime soon. Kansas City has Patrick Mahomes and Cincinnati has Joe Burrow. Yawn.

He also tags the Ravens too, who have the elder Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson; then the Packers (everyone’s favorite little squad, recently), and the Philadelphia Eagles, whose future depends on Jalen Hurts and his ability to produce more than just a tush push.

The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, the two Super Bowl teams, stick out as easy picks. I still love where the Cincinnati Bengals are, so long as Joe Burrow’s injury luck turns. The Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles have all earned the benefit of the doubt over the years.

Albert Breer – MMQB (Sports Illustrated)

Related: Vikings Push More Sam Darnold Hype Through ESPN Insider

Minnesota Vikings future looking bright?

Some of the final teams listed by the longtime NFL insider as having bright futures are the Jim Harbaugh led Chargers and CJ Stroud’s Stefon Diggs’ Houston Texans, But there, at the very bottom, are the MN Vikings, who Breer names as his “curveball” pick, writing that he really likes how they are positioned going forward.

Jim Harbaugh’s track record and Justin Herbert’s talent would earn the Los Angeles Chargers a spot on the list. The Houston Texans are there for me, too, given the acumen of C.J. Stroud, DeMeco Ryans and Nick Caserio. And if you want one curveball, I really like how the Minnesota Vikings are positioned moving forward.

Albert Breer – MMQB (Sports Illustrated)

I am very much intrigued by what Breer would say if asked to expound on why he lists the Minnesota Vikings as a footnote in the teams whose futures he is hyped up about. I mean, you can guess at what he would say about the purple.

He probably likes the combination of head coach Kevin O’Connell and defensive coordinator Brian Flores, and what they might be able to do with a GM like Kwesi Adofo-Mensah who is malleable and already proven a quick learner on the job.

Throw in cornerstones on offense like Justin Jefferson, Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill and it isn’t that hard to reach a dangerous amount of optimism. But more than anything else, Breer probably isn’t a Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy hater.

Related: Longtime NFL Writer Dumps LARGE Tub of Cold Water on Optimistic MN Vikings Fans

Because if you believe in either or both of those two, and their futures, then it’s difficult not to believe in what the Minnesota Vikings will be 2-3 years down the road. If you do not believe in those QBs, then optimism is probably difficult to find.

What’s also notable about this list of teams… none of them are the Chicago Bears or Detroit Lions, two teams that are in the NFC North and, much like the Packers, are on a lot of radars for “future favorites”. You know, I always knew I liked Albert Breer.

Since the departures of Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, the Vikings fanbase has grown more comfortable and confident in the plans of general manager, Kwesi Adofo Mensah, who has received mostly high praise from NFL experts, impressed by his offseason wheeling and dealing.

Minnesota Vikings Win Total Opens at 6.5

Then on Sunday, DraftKings dropped a large dose of reality for anyone in the fanbase who was starting to feel like the Vikings might stand a chance next season in the NFC North, when they unveiled their 2024-25 over/under win totals for all 32 NFL teams. The Minnesota Vikings opened at 6.5 total wins, by far the lowest projected total in the division (two games short of the 3rd-place Bears at 8.5).

#NFL win totals for teams has finally been posted and the Vikings aren’t looking too great per @DKSportsbook.
💥#Lions: 10.5 (-105)
💥#Packers: 10.5 (+130)
💥#Bears: 8.5 (-135)
💥#Vikings: 6.5 (-135)

The Vikings are projected with the lowest win total in the NFC North 👀 pic.twitter.com/GPIGiFLeM7

— The Purple Persuasion (@TPPSkol) March 24, 2024

With a significant question mark looming over the Vikings team, I guess this number shouldn’t be all that surprising. Still… this roster still has quite a bit of talent on it, right? Is this a reflection of Sam Darnold as the most likely QB1 option? Maybe the oddsmakers don’t remember what KOC was able to do with Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens last season…

It’s possible I’m just wearing purple-colored sunglasses, too. But 6.5 wins feels awfully low, even with the uncertainty at QB. Of course, sportsbook odds are always changing. Let’s see what happens if the Vikings move up in the draft and take their quarterback of the future.

Related: Commanders Taking Trade Calls at No. 2 in Case Vikings Offer Herschel Walker 2.0 Package

Or, if you believe in Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores, now might be the perfect time to call these sportsbooks out on their lack of knowledge surrounding Minnesota Viking football. If you’re that confident DK is wrong, you can always put your money where your mouth is…