Vikings vs. Lions 2016 picks and predictions: Detroit has the edge on Thanksgiving

The Detroit Lions host their annual Thanksgiving game in a crucial divisional matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Detroit currently holds first place in the NFC North, but its lead is tenuous with the Vikings right behind them.

The Lions weren't particularly impressive in Week 11, but they did enough to get a 26-19 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, moving to 6-4. Once again the offense struggled, with Matthew Stafford failing to throw a touchdown pass and the team managing just 14 rushing yards. The Lions' touchdowns came on an Andre Robert punt return and Rafael Bush running back a pick-six. Were it not for those defensive/special teams scores, the mood around the Lions might be different this week.

Still, a win is a win and Detroit is looking for a clean sweep of Minnesota, a team it already beat in Week 9. The Vikings finally snapped their four-game losing streak, putting together a 30-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals to improve to 6-4. Like the Lions, the Vikings got big plays from their defense and special teams -- Xaveir Rhodes ran back a 100-yard pick-six, while Cordarrelle Patteron ran a kickoff 104 yards to the house.

Although a bad offensive line has tanked Sam Bradford and the offense in general, there might be some hope on the horizon. Adrian Peterson, out since Week 2 with knee surgery, has a shot at returning sometime in December. Even at age 31, he'd be a big upgrade over the inefficient duo of Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata. In the meantime, the Vikings will continue leaning on their defense to make plays and win games. The NFC North looks like it'll be a two-team race with the Green Bay Packers fading, and Minnesota badly needs this win to avoid having head-to-head tiebreakers go against it.