Have the Lions Changed Enough to Beat the Vikings?
The Minnesota Vikings got an extra week to prepare for the Detroit Lions. Their upcoming matchup on Sunday is another opportunity to pick up a divisional win. Dan Campbell’s team is the second-best unit in the NFC North. Have they changed enough to beat Minnesota, though?
Have the Lions Changed Enough to Beat the Vikings?
Detroit’s constant in the Jared Goff era has been a team that is more than capable of scoring points. That was once again evident on Sunday with their shellacking of the Dallas Cowboys. Mike McCarthy and Mike Zimmer both surprisingly still have jobs as of Monday. What was also evident on Sunday was the Lions’ ability to shut down the Cowboys’ offense.
Defense is not something that Dan Campbell Lions teams have been known for. Although they lost both games last year, Minnesota put up at least 20 points in each contest against the Lions. That took place without Kirk Cousins under center, and the final week of the season was a game in which the Vikings were already well aware their season was over.
This season the Vikings have had an incredibly explosive offense. Sam Darnold has taken over and utilized the weapons he has available to him in a substantial way. While he may be without Aaron Jones for this game, it appears that the Vikings quarterback might get to play with T.J. Hockenson during a game for the first time. An already impressive unit adds another playmaker.
On the flip side, Brian Flores has never had the Vikings’ defense play better. The defensive front is getting to the quarterback at a breakneck pace, and the secondary has come up huge in multiple spots. Stephon Gilmore and Shaq Griffin have been as expected or better against opposing wideouts.
It’s a perfect storm for Minnesota; they must hold the line.
This game should come down to just how impactful the Lions’ defense can be. A consistently lackluster unit took a significant blow on Sunday when Aidan Hutchinson fractured his leg. It was a gruesome and truly sad development that will have ripple effects throughout that side of the football. Detroit can step up and pick up their teammate, or his absence could force them to wilt.
Minnesota won’t run the table this season, but they are well-positioned to pick up another win at U.S. Bank Stadium.
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Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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