Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell cheers for the players at warm up before the Seattle Seahawks game at Ford Field in Detroit on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.
The football world eagerly awaits the battle of the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions this Sunday. Possibly the most highly anticipated game of the season so far, both teams put their Super Bowl credentials on the line in the biggest Vikings vs. Lions game ever.
The winner of the game will not only top the NFC North division but also the NFC Conference, as the number one sees. There are so many aspects to this game that provide intriguing personnel battles that it was difficult to narrow it down to just four. But here goes.
There is no other place to start. Possibly the two best coordinators face off with Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Both could and really should be head coaches soon, but until that day comes, both are looking to help their teams succeed in their current roles. Johnson had the better of the two games last season, but the Vikings’ season was coming off the rails by the time they first played Detroit in Week 16 last season.
The Vikings’ defense, which started the season with promise, showed signs of a lack of talent and depth as we got deep into the season. Minnesota added a lot of new faces to the defense this season, and the unit looks stronger and deeper. Flores has more in his arsenal to try and take the Lions down this season. Johnson still has a strong, well-rounded offense to work with, and he adds creativity, too, with his play-calling. It promises to be an intriguing battle.
Both teams are stacked at the safety position. The Vikings have Harrison Smith, who should be on his way to the Hall of Fame, as well as Camryn Bynum and Josh Metellus. The Vikings trio always affects the game and plays a significant role in Flores’ ability to be diverse with his defense and use many disguises. The Vikings safety trio have combined for 87 tackles, 4 interceptions, 12 pass deflections, 1 fumble recovery, and one sack in the first five games.
On the other side, the Lions have Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch, who have combined for 54 tackles, 7 interceptions, and 14 pass deflections. Both have started the season on fire and are a huge part of the Lions defense. Pro Football Focus grades the pair as the fifth and sixth-best safeties in the league so far this season. Detroit may have to lean on even more with the loss of Aidan Hutchinson for the rest of the season.
Offensive tackle is another area where some of the best players in the league will be on show. The Vikings have Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, while the Lions have Peneii Sewell and Taylor Decker. You will do well to find four better tackles playing in the same game this season. Their job is to protect the quarterback, and the job got considerably easier for the Vikings duo with the Hutchinson injury.
However, the Lions’ interior is much stronger than the Vikings’, leaving them less dependent on their tackles. Detroit looks to dominate the line of scrimmage. The Vikings can’t let that happen on either side of the ball, or they will find themselves in trouble. The one area in which the Vikings should now have a definite advantage is their tackles against the Lions’ edge defenders.
Jameson Williams is an explosive play waiting to happen. The man the Lions selected 12th overall in 2022 after a trade with the Vikings — still a sore subject for many Vikings fans — is flying this season. His first two seasons didn’t hit the heights expected, and injury and suspension held him back. However, so far this season, the Lions are seeing the player they hoped they were drafting. Williams has 16 catches for 365 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also has four rushing attempts for 32 yards.
The Vikings’ secondary improved dramatically with the signing of Stephon Gilmore (and Shaq Griffin) after being somewhat of a liability on the outside last season. The speedy Williams will test the veteran first-team All-Pro, and if the Vikings are going to win, Gilmore will have to keep him in check along with his teammates.