The Detroit Lions are riding two-straight losses, but they face a relatively easier opponent in Week 4 in the Minnesota Vikings. Then again, divisional matchups can never be taken for granted, and the Lions need only look to last week for a reason to not overlook the Vikings: their win over the San Francisco 49ers. Minnesota went out there and made the 49ers look bad with a strong offensive showing, while San Francisco handily beat the Lions in Week 2.
If Minnesota's offense can do the same things it did against San Francisco's, then the Lions could be in trouble. They haven't looked their best this season, while the Matthew Stafford-led offense can be inconsistent at times. That being said, the Lions are generally favored around the Internet when it comes to the picks and predictions.
ESPN had 11 of their 13 experts take Detroit over Minnesota, with Merril Hoge and Mike Ditka being the lone dissenters. The trend continues over at CBS Sports, where seven of their nine experts take Detroit, the home team, as well. Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports piles it on with his pick of Detroit and it becomes clear the national media is not entirely hot on Minnesota and their big win in Week 3.