Detroit News predictions: Lions vs. Vikings

Josh Katzenstein, Rod Beard, John Niyo and Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News predict the outcome of Sunday's Lions-Vikings game.

Josh Katzenstein: The Lions rarely threw to Calvin Johnson in Week 1, and the Vikings barely gave the ball to Adrian Peterson. Expect that to change. But with the Lions defense still missing DeAndre Levy, stopping Peterson and TE Kyle Rudolph could be difficult. If Darius Slay isn’t 100 percent, WR Mike Wallace could have some deep opportunities, too. Vikings 24-20

Rod Beard: After a disappointing opener, the Lions make a concerted effort to get Calvin Johnson more touches and he’ll get his third 100-yard game in 14 career meetings against the Vikings. The defense, still not at full strength, will be better than last week but will keep Adrian Peterson in check. Lions 24-14

John Niyo: Injuries could force the Lions’ hand offensively, but there’s no excuse for the defense this week. QB Teddy Bridgewater can’t pick apart a defense like that. Lions 24-21

Bob Wojnowski: It’s early, sure, but this suddenly is a big division matchup between 0-1 teams. It’s difficult to forecast because the Vikings didn’t look normal underutilizing Adrian Peterson, and the Lions didn’t look normal underutilizing Calvin Johnson. I expect Matthew Stafford to get more aggressive and Ameer Abdullah to get a few more carries. And it’s important the Lions defensive line hits Teddy Bridgewater early and often. Lions 23-21