NFL Week 18 Sunday Night Football: Where and how to watch Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions, live stream, and broadcast details

The Minnesota Vikings are set to face the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan on Sunday, January 5.

NFL Week 18 Sunday Night Football: Where and how to watch Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions, live stream, and broadcast details

Sam Darnold and Jared Goff (Image Credits: L-via AP, R-via IMAGO)

The final week of football will be a battle between two NFC North teams- the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings. The top dogs of their division share the same 14-2 record but Sunday’s game is detrimental as the winner of this matchup will get the top seed and gain home-field advantage.

The team losing on Sunday will end up with the No.5 seed and hit the road to begin the playoffs. The Minnesota Vikings have been on a roll winning 9 straight games. Sam Darnold has been phenomenal and resurrected his career in a year where nothing much was expected of him.

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When it comes to the Lions, it is hard not to be impressed by what Dan Campbell and his coaching staff have done. Each game, the Lions run trick plays and dominate their opponents in ways nobody would have anticipated. This weekend’s game is bound to be a thriller.

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What time is the NFL game on Sunday?

The Week 18 game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions will be held at Ford Field on Sunday, January 5 with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.

Sam Darnold and Vikings HC (Image via Imago)
Sam Darnold and Vikings HC (Image via Imago)

What channel is Sunday Football on?

  • Game: Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions
  • Day: Sunday, January 5, 2025
  • TV: NBC
  • Announcers: Mike Tirico (play-by-play), Cris Collinsworth (analyst), and Melissa Stark (sideline reporter)
  • Radio: 100.3 KFAN
  • Radio Announcers: Paul Allen and Pete Bercich

NFL live streaming for Sunday’s game

Fans can watch the game on Peacock which offers lucrative subscription packages. For those interested in watching on phones and tablets, the NFL+ is a great option as it includes a 7-day trial and subsequent subscription options at $6.99/- per month and $49.99/- for a year.

Alternatively, the game can be streamed on FUBO TV which offers a 7-day free trial and subscription offers starting at $33 per month.

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NFL Odds and Betting Lines for Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions

The latest odds as per BetMGM favor the Detroit Lions to beat the Vikings.

  • Spread: Lions (-3)
  • Over/Under: 57
  • Moneyline: (-160), Vikings (+135)

Predicted lineup for the Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions game

Minnesota Vikings

Offense: Sam Darnold, Aaron Jones, Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, T.J. Hockenson, C.J. Ham, Cam Robinson, Blake Brandel, Garrett Bradbury, Dalton Risner, and Brian O’Neill

Defense: Jerry Tillery, Harrison Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, Jonathan Greenard, Ivan Pace Jr., Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel, Stephon Gilmore, Harrison Smith, Camryn Bynum, Shaquill Griffin, and Byron Murphy Jr.

Amon-Ra St. Brown
Amon-Ra St. Brown (Image via IMAGO)

Detroit Lions

Offense: Jared Goff, Jahmyr Gibbs, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Tim Patrick, Sam LaPorta, Taylor Decker, Graham Glasgow, Frank Ragnow, Kevin Zeitler, and Penei Sewell

Defense: Za’Darius Smith, Levi Onwuzurike, DJ Reader, Josh Paschal, Trevor Nowaske, Jack Campbell, Ezekiel Turner, Amik Robertson, Ifeatu Melifonwi, Kerby Joseph, Terrion Arnold, and Brian Branch

Why can the Vikings win?

Minnesota has all of its key starters in place and the duo of Sam Darnold and Justin Jefferson have been consistent the entire season. The quarterback is red hot at the moment as he has thrown for 3 touchdowns in his last two games and is coming off a career-high 377 yards against the Packers last week.

He is the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw at least 35 touchdowns in their first season with a new team. The last two quarterbacks to achieve this feat were Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford, both of whom led their teams to Super Bowl wins in those respective years.

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Why can the Lions win?

Detroit is hell-bent on making it to the franchise’s first Super Bowl this year. Despite being bogged down by injuries to key players along the way, the Lions’ strength lies in their ability to work around and draw up plays that make the best out of the cards they have.

Jared Goff is on track to have a career-best season and is just 291 yards short of breaking his career-high record of 4,688 passing yards. This, combined with the team’s ability to come up with bizarre plays that their opponents do not expect, gives them an edge.