Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Picks and Prediction for Sunday, September 28th, 2025

The Minnesota Vikings (2-1, 2-1 ATS, 2-1 O/U) meet the Pittsburgh Steelers  (2-1, 1-2 ATS, 2-1 O/U) in an inter-conference showdown on Sunday morning in Dublin, Ireland, and we have you covered with the prediction. Last week, the Vikings rebounded with a dominating win against the Bengals. The Steelers won their game last week, defeating the Patriots. This is the first meeting since 2021.

Can the Steelers record a second straight win on Sunday morning in Ireland? Keep reading for the Vikings vs. Steelers prediction. Do you need a boost in your handicapping? Try our NFL Betting Picks!

Vikings Rebound with Win vs. Bengals

The Minnesota Vikings are seeking their third win of the season. Minnesota won the season opener in a narrow 27-24 road win against the rival Bears. Next, they hosted the Falcons in a disappointing effort. They were dealt a 22-6 loss to dip to 1-1. Minnesota bounced back with a dominating 48-10 home win against the Bengals to easily cover the three-point spread. If the offense can find ways to produce until McCaryhty returns, they'll be in good shape.  The Vikings have covered in two of three games.

Vikings #1 QB J.J. McCarthy continues to recover from injury and did not play last week. He will not play in this one. Instead, it will be the veteran, Carson Wentz. The 32-year-old was sharp in his season debut last week, posting 173 passing yards and connecting on 70 % of his passes. Wentz was the backup for K.C. last season.

Minnesota has opted for the run more than most teams. Jordan Mason was dominant in the win last week, amassing 116 rushing yards. The 26-year-old RB has 214 rushing yards on an average of 5.3 yards per rush. Justin Jefferson brought in 75 receiving yards last week. The star receiver has generated 200 receiving yards. Jalen Nailor has 96 receiving yards. The Minnesota offense posted 352 yards last week and is averaging 268 yards per game.

The Vikings' defense is definitely their top attribute. The Vikings were dominant against Cincinnati last week, although they played without QB Joe Burrow. The unit held Cincinnati to only 171 total yards. Ivan Pace Jr. has been everywhere, making 26 tackles. The defense is keeping opponents to an average of 271 yards on the season. The pass defense is third, while the rush defense has not been as effective, placing 22nd.

Minnesota is averaging 27 points on the year, ranking them sixth. The Vikings are conceding an average of 18.7 points, placing them ninth.

Pittsburgh Targets Second Straight Win

The Pittsburgh Steelers are targeting a second straight win. Pittsburgh began the season against the Jets and came away with a narrow 34-32 win, but didn’t cover. Next, they hosted the Seahawks and were shaky defensively in a 31-17 defeat. Pittsburgh answered with a 21-14 road win against the Patriots last week in a clash that had the Steelers marked as one-point favourites. The Steelers have covered the spread in two of three games.

Aaron Rodgers is proving he still has it. The 41-year-old was kept in check by the Seahawks, where he posted 203 yards, but was in a groove last week, connecting on 69% of his passes. Rodgers has generated 586 passing yards and a 7:3 TD to INT ratio. Pittsburgh has chosen to run more than the pass. Jaylen Warren has yet to have a breakout game, but he is steady. He has reported 132 rushing yards. He was limited in practice but is expected to play.

The receiving core has yet to have anyone have a big game. Jaylen Warren, the running back, leads the squad with 145 receiving yards. Calvin Austin II yielded 34 yards last week and only has 126 receiving yards on the year. The Pittsburgh offense was not a big threat last week, managing only 203 yards. They are only averaging 247 yards per game.

The Steelers' defense struggled in their first two games against New York and Seattle. They rebounded with a clutch performance last week, making five sacks. They conceded 369 total yards. The defense will need to perform better than it has so far. They are squandering an average of 386 yards per game. Safety Chuck Clark has made 25 tackles.   The Steelers' pass defense is 26th, while the rush defense is also near the bottom, standing 27th. CB Joey Porter (hamstring), RB Warren (knee) and TE Jonnu Smith (hip) are questionable.

Pittsburgh is scoring an average of 24 points, ranking them 12th. The Steelers are squandering an average of 25.7 points, pegging them 22nd.

Vikings vs. Steelers Pick

Spread Pick for Vikings vs. Steelers

• Pittsburgh Steelers +2.5 (5 units)

The Minnesota Vikings have won two of three games, but the first win was against a subpar Bears squad that has just one win, and while they beat the Cincinnati Bengals last week, they were without star QB Joe Burrow. The Pittsburgh Steelers are also 2-1 and have played just one home game.

Furthermore, Aaron Rodgers has been accurate and efficient, connecting on 65.1% of his passes this season. The Vikings obviously have a strong defense, but have not been tasked against proven quarterbacks. The Vikings were defending against QB Caleb Williams and Jake Browning in two of their three games. Aaron Rodgers presents a bigger challenge. The Steelers' defense has been inconsistent, but remember, Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy is out with an injury. Carson Wentz has been a backup the last few seasons, and I can't see him doing big damage against a very good Steelers secondary.

Over/Under Pick for Vikings vs. Steelers

• Over 40 (5 units)

I expect this one to go over, considering the number of only 40 points. Minnesota was able to score 48 points last week with Wentz. I don’t expect anywhere near 48 points, but the Steelers' defense has been shaky. They rank near the bottom of the NFL in many categories and struggled against the Jets and Seahawks in their first two games. The Steelers are pegged 27th against the run.

In addition, while Rodgers has been outstanding, Pittsburgh has opted for the run just more than the pass. I expect them to target the Vikings on the ground, considering the Vikings' rush defense has been subpar, ranking 22nd. This is the lowest total on the board, and I expect more than enough scoring. The over is 5-1 in the Vikings' past six games against an opponent in the AFC North.