Probetrics — Sports Analytics
NFL slate
Minnesota Vikings
9-8 last yr · #11 Elo
at
Sun, Nov 1, 1:00 PM ET
Ford Field · Indoors
Detroit Lions
9-8 last yr · #10 Elo
Spread Total Moneyline

The read

On rating alone Detroit Lions are 0.2 points better (#10 vs #11 of 32), and DET add 0.0 for home field. The clearest mismatch is the passing game: DET passing ranks #5, MIN defends it at #2; the other way MIN #29 into DET's #14.

Who has the edge

Rating
Even
DET rated 0.2 points better on Elo (#10 vs #11).
Home & rest
Even
DET gets 0.0 points for home field.
Quarterback
not priced
Usual starters on both sides — Jared Goff and Kyler Murray — no adjustment.
Passing game
Slight edge
DET
DET passing ranks #5, MIN defends it at #2; the other way MIN #29 into DET's #14.
context · not in the margin
Rushing game
Even
MIN rushing ranks #18, DET defends it at #18; the other way DET #16 into MIN's #13.
context · not in the margin
Third down & red zone
Even
DET third-down conversion ranks #19, MIN defends it at #3; the other way MIN #31 into DET's #9.
context · not in the margin
Form (last 5)
Clear edge
MIN
DET −1.6 per game over the last five, MIN +13.6.
context · not in the margin
Market
not priced
No line yet.
context · not in the margin

The margin, factor by factor

Minnesota VikingsDetroit Lions
1549 Elo · #11
RatingThe Elo gap in points — the model's core read on who is better, before the situational pieces below.
DET +0.2 pts
1553 Elo · #10
road
Home field
not priced
home
Rest
even
Murray · +2.0 EPA/g
QuarterbackStarter's value against what the team usually gets at quarterback. Only moves when someone other than the usual starter plays.
even
Goff · +5.4 EPA/g
−2.3 pts vs DET D
Offense vs defenseEach offense's scoring rating against the other defense's — what drives the model total. Shown as an edge, though the winner call runs on Elo.
MIN +0.5 pts
−2.8 pts vs MIN D
W W W W W · +13.6
Form (last 5)Average margin over the last five games. Already inside the ratings — listed so you can see when recent form and the rating disagree.
MIN +7.6 pts
W L L L W · −1.6
5 out/IR
InjuriesCount of players listed Out or on IR. Not priced beyond the quarterback.
not priced
8 out/IR
MarketThe consensus spread, read as points. Compare with the model margin above it.
not priced

Bars are in points toward the favored side. Blue factors are inside the model's margin; grey ones are context it does not add on top (form and offense/defense are already in the ratings; injuries beyond the quarterback are not priced).

Dissect the matchup

nflverse play-by-play + FTN charting · 2025 season (last season until three games are in)

Biggest mismatches

  • DET defense (#8 sack rate generated) against a MIN offense ranked #31
  • DET defense (#6 pass success rate allowed) against a MIN offense ranked #28
  • DET defense (#9 third-down conversion allowed) against a MIN offense ranked #31
  • DET yac / completion (#2) against a MIN defense ranked #22 at stopping it
  • DET defense (#13 interceptions forced) against a MIN offense ranked #32

A mismatch is a rank gap of at least a fifth of the league between an offense and the defense it faces on the same measure. Descriptive rows (pass rate, pace, direction) are shown for reading the game, not ranked. ▲▼ mark where the last three games sit clearly above or below the season number, in the direction that helps that side.

Minnesota Vikings offense vs Detroit Lions defense

ranks of 32
MIN offDET defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate facedDropbacks as a share of plays. On the defense column: what opponents do against them.61%61%·
Early-down pass rateFirst and second down only — the cleanest read on run-heavy vs pass-heavy.55%56%·
Neutral-script pass rateEarly downs with win probability between 20% and 80%: intent, not catch-up mode.54%55%·
Pass rate over expectedHow much more (or less) a team passes than the down, distance, score and clock predict. nflverse xpass.−1.2%−0.5%·
Seconds per playTime of possession divided by plays — lower is faster.30.729.2·
No-huddle8%11%·
Shotgun56%64%·
Play-action rate / Play-action facedShare of dropbacks with a play fake (FTN charting).26%25%·
RPO rate / RPOs faced5%7%·
Screen rate / Screens faced9%6%·
Pre-snap motion / Motion faced52%50%·
Blitzes faced / Blitz rateFive or more pass rushers (FTN). On the offense column: how often opponents blitz them.26%27%·
Pass rushers faced / Avg pass rushers4.294.32·
Passing
EPA / dropbackThe single best pass-efficiency number; on the defense column, what they allow.−0.16#29+0.01#14DET
Pass success rate42%#2842%#6DET
Explosive pass rateDropbacks gaining 20+ yards.7.0%#249.1%#26·
Yards / dropback5.4#286.1#16DET
Depth of target (aDOT)Average air yards per attempt — how far downfield they throw, or get thrown at.7.89.9·
Deep-ball rate (20+ air)12%15%·
Short throws (≤5 air)51%44%·
Completion % over expectednflverse CPOE, per attempt. Defense column: what they allow.−2.9#27−1.1#9DET
YAC / completion5.1#154.3#3DET
Sack rate / Sack rate generatedSacks per dropback. Lower is better for an offense; the defense column shows sacks they create.10.5%#317.7%#8DET
Scramble rate4.9%4.9%·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced4.3%#322.3%#13DET
Throws left / middle / rightDirection shares are shown in full on the row.L 36 · M 18 · R 46L 36 · M 21 · R 43·
Rushing
EPA / rush−0.05#18−0.04#18·
Rush success rate44%#841%#13·
Explosive rush rateRushes of 10+ yards.11.7%#411.3%#23MIN
Yards / rush4.4#114.4#24MIN
Runs left / middle / rightL 33 · M 29 · R 37L 36 · M 26 · R 38·
Situational
Third-down conversion32%#3137%#9DET
Red-zone touchdown rateDrives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown.57%#1760%#22·
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game1.65#321.12#19DET
Plays / game5561·

Detroit Lions offense vs Minnesota Vikings defense

ranks of 32
DET offMIN defEdge
Identity
Pass rate / Pass rate facedDropbacks as a share of plays. On the defense column: what opponents do against them.59%52%·
Early-down pass rateFirst and second down only — the cleanest read on run-heavy vs pass-heavy.54%46%·
Neutral-script pass rateEarly downs with win probability between 20% and 80%: intent, not catch-up mode.53%49%·
Pass rate over expectedHow much more (or less) a team passes than the down, distance, score and clock predict. nflverse xpass.−4.6%−8.9%·
Seconds per playTime of possession divided by plays — lower is faster.29.631.7·
No-huddle6%9%·
Shotgun52%57%·
Play-action rate / Play-action facedShare of dropbacks with a play fake (FTN charting).25%24%·
RPO rate / RPOs faced4%4%·
Screen rate / Screens faced10%8%·
Pre-snap motion / Motion faced60%53%·
Blitzes faced / Blitz rateFive or more pass rushers (FTN). On the offense column: how often opponents blitz them.27%46%·
Pass rushers faced / Avg pass rushers4.344.61·
Passing
EPA / dropbackThe single best pass-efficiency number; on the defense column, what they allow.+0.17#5−0.12#2·
Pass success rate48%#740%#3·
Explosive pass rateDropbacks gaining 20+ yards.10.7%#56.1%#1·
Yards / dropback7.0#65.6#6·
Depth of target (aDOT)Average air yards per attempt — how far downfield they throw, or get thrown at.6.46.8·
Deep-ball rate (20+ air)7%9%·
Short throws (≤5 air)57%56%·
Completion % over expectednflverse CPOE, per attempt. Defense column: what they allow.+1.5#11−4.4#4MIN
YAC / completion6.1#25.3#22DET
Sack rate / Sack rate generatedSacks per dropback. Lower is better for an offense; the defense column shows sacks they create.6.3%#179.3%#3MIN
Scramble rate0.8%5.7%·
Interception rate / Interceptions forced1.4%#41.8%#21DET
Throws left / middle / rightDirection shares are shown in full on the row.L 32 · M 32 · R 35L 39 · M 23 · R 37·
Rushing
EPA / rush−0.05#16−0.08#13·
Rush success rate41%#2042%#21·
Explosive rush rateRushes of 10+ yards.10.1%#149.4%#16·
Yards / rush4.7#53.8#6·
Runs left / middle / rightL 32 · M 24 · R 44L 33 · M 28 · R 39·
Situational
Third-down conversion39%#1935%#3MIN
Red-zone touchdown rateDrives reaching the 20 that end in a touchdown.63%#943%#1MIN
Turnovers / game / Takeaways / game0.88#61.18#16DET
Plays / game6260·

Route-by-route data (which routes are run and how coverage plays them) is not published anywhere public — it is sold by PFF and NGS. Throw depth, direction, play-action, RPO, screens, motion and pass-rush counts above are the public pieces of the same picture.

Minnesota Vikings · key players

  • J.J. McCarthy QB14.0/24.3 · 163 yds/g · 11-12 TD-INT · −0.20 EPA/db
  • Listed starter this week: Kyler Murray — line above is J.J. McCarthy's.
  • Justin Jefferson WR8.3 tgt/g · 31% share · 62 yds/g · 2 TD · aDOT 10.2
  • Jordan Addison WR5.6 tgt/g · 18% share · 44 yds/g · 3 TD · aDOT 13.7
  • T.J. Hockenson TE4.4 tgt/g · 16% share · 29 yds/g · 3 TD · aDOT 5.0
  • Jalen Nailor WR3.1 tgt/g · 12% share · 26 yds/g · 4 TD · aDOT 12.4
  • Jordan Mason RB9.9 car/g · 47 yds/g · 4.8 ypc · 6 TD · −0.04 EPA/car
  • Aaron Jones RB11.0 car/g · 46 yds/g · 4.2 ypc · 2 TD · −0.02 EPA/car

2025 season, per game. Targets ranked by volume, rushers by carries.nflverse weekly player stats. Target share is the player's average share of his team's targets in the games he played. A player who changed teams carries his own games from last season.

Detroit Lions · key players

  • Jared Goff QB23.1/34.0 · 268 yds/g · 34-8 TD-INT · +0.17 EPA/db
  • Amon-Ra St. Brown WR10.1 tgt/g · 32% share · 82 yds/g · 11 TD · aDOT 8.1
  • Jameson Williams WR6.0 tgt/g · 19% share · 66 yds/g · 7 TD · aDOT 12.6
  • Sam LaPorta TEQuestionable5.4 tgt/g · 18% share · 54 yds/g · 3 TD · aDOT 5.7
  • Kalif Raymond WR2.5 tgt/g · 7% share · 24 yds/g · 1 TD · aDOT 5.6
  • Jahmyr Gibbs RB14.3 car/g · 72 yds/g · 5.0 ypc · 13 TD · −0.01 EPA/car
  • David Montgomery RB9.3 car/g · 42 yds/g · 4.5 ypc · 8 TD · +0.00 EPA/car

2025 season, per game. Targets ranked by volume, rushers by carries.nflverse weekly player stats. Target share is the player's average share of his team's targets in the games he played. A player who changed teams carries his own games from last season.

Season

MINDET
9-8Record9-8
20.2Points for / game28.3
19.6Points against / game24.3
4-4 / 5-4Home / road5-3 / 4-5
9-8Against the spread8-9
8-9Over / underOvers–unders in this team's games. A tendency, not a lean.10-7
W W W W WLast 5W L L L W

Season numbers are from 2025 until this season has games.

Power ratings

MINDET
1549Elo1553
#11 of 32Rank#10 of 32
−2.9Offense ratingPoints per game above league average scored, opponent-adjusted.+2.7
+5.5Defense ratingPoints per game below league average allowed, opponent-adjusted. Positive is good.−0.6
Strength of scheduleMean Elo of opponents faced this season.

Elo drives the winner call. Offense/defense ratings drive the total.

Efficiency

MINDET
-0.120EPA / play (offense)Expected points added per offensive play, nflverse. The single best efficiency number.0.075
-0.087EPA / play allowed-0.005
189Pass yards / game269
108Rush yards / game120
178Pass yards allowed237
124Rush yards allowed115
1.4 / 1.5Turnovers / takeaways0.7 / 1.6
3.5 / 2.9Sacks allowed / made2.3 / 2.8
15.2First downs / game19.4
52Penalty yards / game42
+2.0 · #22 of 52QB EPA / gameThe listed starter's passing + rushing EPA per game, ranked among starters with three or more games.+5.4 · #10 of 52

Efficiency is from the 2025 season until this one has games. Source: nflverse.

Head to head

2025DET 10 at MIN 23MIN · MIN covered
2025MIN 27 at DET 24MIN · MIN covered
2024MIN 9 at DET 31DET · DET covered
2024DET 31 at MIN 29DET · DET covered
2023MIN 20 at DET 30DET · DET covered
2023DET 30 at MIN 24DET · DET covered
2022MIN 23 at DET 34DET · DET covered
2022DET 24 at MIN 28MIN · DET covered

How the margin was built

Rating gap
DET +0.2 pts
Home field
DET +— pts
Rest
Even
Quarterback
Usual starters — no adjustment
Weather / roof
— pts on the total
Model margin
Model total

Market

Spread
Total
Moneyline

Per-book prices appear once the multi-book feed has this game (about a week out).

Minnesota Vikings injuries

  • Jamal Adams LBInjured Reserve
  • Jermar Jefferson RBInjured Reserve
  • Marcus Allen CBInjured Reserve
  • Michael Jurgens CInjured Reserve
  • Tyler Batty LBInjured Reserve
  • Caleb Tiernan OTQuestionable
  • Jacob Thomas SQuestionable
  • Jakobe Thomas SQuestionable

From ESPN's report. The model prices the quarterback; other absences are context it does not yet price.

Detroit Lions injuries

  • Brian Branch SOut
  • Giovanni Manu OTOut
  • Kerby Joseph SOut
  • Cade Mays CInjured Reserve
  • Damone Clark LBInjured Reserve
  • Isiah Pacheco RBInjured Reserve
  • Michael Niese GInjured Reserve
  • Payton Turner DEInjured Reserve
  • Derrick Moore DEQuestionable
  • D.J. Reed CBQuestionable
  • Ennis Rakestraw Jr. CBQuestionable
  • Jimmy Rolder LBQuestionable

From ESPN's report. The model prices the quarterback; other absences are context it does not yet price.

Informational only. Winner probabilities are backtested and calibrated; spread and total calls are tracked leans. 21+, 1-800-GAMBLER.