Lions at Vikings: Week 15 preview, odds and injuries

Week 15 · Sun, Dec 20 · U.S. Bank Stadium8:20 PM ET

at8:20 PMET · NBC

At a glanceUpdated Nov 11, 2026, 8:24 PM ET

The Detroit Lions (6-2) visit the Minnesota Vikings (6-2) on Sun, Dec 20, 8:20 PM ET at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN (Week 15, 2026 season), on NBC.

When and where is Lions vs Vikings?

Sun, Dec 20, 8:20 PM ET at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. TV: NBC.

Who is injured for Lions vs Vikings?

Lions: Jacob Saylors (RB, out), Kerby Joseph (S, out, knee), Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR, questionable, ribs), Brian Branch (S, questionable, hip), Cade Mays (C, questionable, ankle) and D.J. Reed (CB, questionable, hip) (plus 3 more). Vikings: Kyler Murray (QB, doubtful, hamstring), Blake Cashman (LB, questionable, concussion), Carson Wentz (QB, questionable, ankle), Jauan Jennings (WR, questionable, calf), Jay Ward (S, questionable, knee) and Kyle Van Noy (LB, questionable, calf) (plus 3 more).

Cite this page

Pigskin Nightly, “Lions at Vikings: Week 15 preview”, https://pigskinnightly.com/games/2026-12-20-det-at-min (updated 2026-11-12).

How we calculate Plain-text version Report an error

Regular season through week 14 · rank out of 32

Where this game will be decided

1Vikings third-down defense vs Lions third-down offense
The Vikings' third-down defense ranks 2nd in third-down conversion rate (32.4% allowed, 108 third downs faced) and faces a Lions third-down offense ranked 22nd (37.2%, 94 third downs).
22ndDET offense20 spots apart2ndMIN defense
2Lions pass rush vs Vikings pass protection
The Lions' pass rush ranks 7th in sack rate (7.6% of dropbacks, 355 dropbacks faced) and faces a Vikings pass protection ranked 26th (8.6% sacked, 266 dropbacks).
26thMIN offense19 spots apart7thDET defense
3Lions run defense vs Vikings run game
The Lions' run defense ranks 12th in EPA per rush (-0.11 allowed, 164 rushes faced) and faces a Vikings run game ranked 30th (-0.23, 181 rushes).
30thMIN offense18 spots apart12thDET defense

When the Lions have the ballNo big edge

DET dropback offenseEPA per dropbackMIN pass defense

5th+0.21299 dropbacks

-0.18 allowed271 dropbacks faced1st

DET run gameEPA per rushMIN run defense

13th-0.05218 rushes

-0.11 allowed210 rushes faced11th

Dropbacks include sacks and scrambles; rushes are designed runs. What EPA measures.

When the Vikings have the ballEdge DET · +18 ranks

MIN dropback offenseEPA per dropbackDET pass defense

27th-0.11266 dropbacks

+0.16 allowed355 dropbacks faced27th

MIN run gameEPA per rushDET run defense

30th-0.23181 rushes

DET +18

-0.11 allowed164 rushes faced12th

Third downEdge MIN · +20 ranks

DET third-down offensethird-down conversion rateMIN third-down defense

22nd37.2%94 third downs

MIN +20

32.4% allowed108 third downs faced2nd

MIN third-down offensethird-down conversion rateDET third-down defense

28th35.2%105 third downs

44.9% allowed107 third downs faced26th

Conversions are third-down snaps that gained a first down or scored.

Red zoneEdge MIN · +12 ranks

DET red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateMIN red-zone defense

13th62%34 trips

MIN +12

26% allowed19 trips faced1st

MIN red-zone offensered-zone touchdown rateDET red-zone defense

25th50%18 trips

66% allowed29 trips faced23rd

A trip is a drive with at least one snap inside the opponent's 20; the rate is trips that ended in an offensive touchdown. Small samples swing fast here.

Explosive playsEdge MIN · +9 ranks

DET big-play offenseexplosive-play rateMIN defense against big plays

5th10.8%517 plays

8.7% allowed481 plays faced11th

MIN big-play offenseexplosive-play rateDET defense against big plays

19th8.7%447 plays

MIN +9

11.0% allowed519 plays faced28th

Completions of 20+ yards and runs of 10+, per snap. Definition.

Pressure & sacksEdge DET · +19 ranks

DET pass protectionsack rateMIN pass rush

19th6.4% sacked299 dropbacks

MIN +18

10.7% of dropbacks271 dropbacks faced1st

MIN pass protectionsack rateDET pass rush

26th8.6% sacked266 dropbacks

DET +19

7.6% of dropbacks355 dropbacks faced7th

Sacks per dropback. The public play-by-play has no pressure charting, so this is the sack side of it only.

TurnoversEdge MIN · +12 ranks

DET ball securityturnovers per gameMIN takeaway defense

2nd0.6 giveaways a game8 games

1.5 takeaways a game8 games5th

MIN ball securityturnovers per gameDET takeaway defense

10th1.0 giveaways a game8 games

MIN +12

1.0 takeaways a game8 games22nd

Interceptions and lost fumbles on offensive snaps, per game. Turnover rates are among the least stable numbers in football.

AbsencesDET 0 · MIN 1 regulars out or doubtful

Lions9 listed

0 of them are regulars ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QJared GoffQB99% offense · 8 wk
QD.J. ReedCB94% defense · 7 wk
QAmon-Ra St. BrownWR83% offense · 8 wk
QBrian BranchS70% defense · 3 wk
QCade MaysC66% offense · 2 wk
QDJ WonnumLB54% defense · 7 wk
QSione VakiRB25% offense · 8 wk
OUTJacob SaylorsRB3% offense · 7 wk

Vikings9 listed

1 of them is a regular ruled out or doubtful (60%+ of their unit's snaps across 3+ weeks on the field).

QBlake CashmanLB95% defense · 8 wk
QCarson WentzQB89% offense · 3 wk
DKyler MurrayQB86% offense · 6 wk
QT.J. HockensonTE68% offense · 8 wk
QJauan JenningsWR67% offense · 6 wk
QTheo JacksonS59% defense · 7 wk
QTyrion Ingram-DawkinsDE59% defense · 8 wk
QKyle Van NoyLB34% defense · 8 wk

Snap share is the average of the weeks each player was on the field this season. Full injury report ↓

Rest & travelMIN +3 days of rest · DET travels 542 mi

AwayLions

7days since last game

542miles to get here

1time zones

Last: Sun wk 14 vs TEN · 7,124 mi flown this season

Normal week

Rest edge+3MIN daysTravel gap 542 mi

HomeVikings

10days since last game

0miles · home

0time zones

Last: Thu wk 14 at NE · Foxborough · 6,529 mi flown this season

Normal week

League splits for these situations ↓

Sample: DET 8 games, 517 offensive and 519 defensive plays · MIN 8 games, 447 offensive and 481 defensive plays. Rank 1 is the best offense or the best defense in each stat. Keys are the largest rank gaps (12+ spots) between an offense and the defense it faces, one per stat. Ranks are not schedule-adjusted.

Season to date · rank out of 32