The Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns will square off in an international game from Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. This is the second straight week that Minnesota will be playing in Europe. Will they take advantage of that international continuity, or will the Browns come to London and get the job done? I attempt to answer that question below with my Vikings vs Browns prediction for Week 5.
Our Vikings vs Browns Pick
- Pick: Under 36.5
- Confidence: ★★★☆☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Minnesota Vikings vs Cleveland Browns
- Date & Time: Sunday, October 5, 2025, 9:30 AM ET
- Venue: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England
- Broadcast: NFL Network
Vikings vs Browns Odds
| Line | |
|---|---|
| Spread | Vikings −3.5 |
| Moneyline | Vikings −195 / Browns +165 |
| Total (Over/Under) | 36.5 |
Key Storylines
One of the primary storylines going intot his game is how the Vikings handle playing consecutive international games. They were in Dublin for their Week 4 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now they travel to London for Week 5. They won’t need to acclimate to another drastic time change or fly across the world this week. But they could also struggle with living in another country for another week.
Minnesota has attempted to stay aggressive with its passing game even with Carson Wentz at quarterback in the place of the injured JJ McCarthy. Wentz has been more than willing to try to move the ball vertically to threats like Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. But he might not have time to do that against one of the best defenses in football.
The Browns have struggled mightily on offense but have been excellent on defense to start this season. Joe Flacco is clearly not the long-term answer at quarterback for Cleveland, but their pass rush has helped them stay competitive in most of their games.
Quarterback Play
JJ McCarthy’s status is uncertain going into Week 5. If McCarthy is able to play, the Vikings will lean on his dual-threat ability to keep Cleveland’s defense off balance. But if McCarthy sits or is limited, Minnesota may need to rely on Wentz again. Either way, the goal of the quarterback for Minnesota this week will be to avoid making bad decisions under duress from the Cleveland pass rush.
Joe Flacco has struggled early in the season for Cleveland. He has thrown two touchdown passes and six interceptions through Cleveland’s first four games of the season. He has to take better care of the football for the Browns to have a chance to avoid a 1-4 start.
Betting Trends & H2H
- Both teams are 2-2 against the spread to start the 2025 season.
- The Vikings are 3-1 to the over so far this year.
- Cleveland is 1-3 to the over to this point in the 2025 NFL season.
Vikings vs Browns Model Projection
Score Projection: Vikings 20 – Browns 14
Win Probability: Vikings 75%, Browns 25%
Final Thoughts
Above all else, I think we are going to see a low-scoring game in London on Sunday. The Browns have been dreadful offensively this season, but their defense has kept them in most of their games. That should be the case again this week, as the Browns’ defense will put pressure on either McCarthy or Wentz and help the under to come in.
