Week Seven: Detroit Lions (4-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

 

Setting: 10/20/2024 1:00pm EST on FOX

Site: U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN

Weather: Climate Controlled

Opening Spread: Vikings -1.5

All-Time Series Record: Vikings lead, 80-43-2

Last Meeting: 01/07/2024, Lions won 30-20

 

Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

Head Coach: Kevin O'Connell (3rd Season: 25-14)

Projected Starting QB: Sam Darnold (7th Season: 26-35)

Last Week: BYE

Looking Ahead to Week #8: Thursday Night @ Los Angeles Rams (1-4)

 

Your Detroit Lions (3-1)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (4th Season: 28-27-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (9th Season: 70-51-1)

Last Week: 47-9 W @ Dallas Cowboys (3-3)

Looking Ahead to Week #8: Sunday vs. Tennessee Titans (1-4)

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Broncos @ Saints (TNF), Jets @ Steelers (SNF), Ravens @ Buccaneers (8:15pm MNF), Chargers @ Cardinals (9:00pm MNF)

9:30am: Patriots @ Jaguars (in London)

1:00pm: Seahawks @ Falcons, Texans @ Packers, Titans @ Bills, Bengals @ Browns, Dolphins @ Colts, Eagles @ Giants

4:05/4:25pm: Raiders @ Rams, Panthers @ Commanders, Chiefs @ 49ers

BYE: Cowboys, Bears

[MichiganCardinal]

I know they're good, but I'm surprised to see the Vikings favored. We'll see if that spread shifts, but I like the Lions mano a mano.

[lordstanley]

The Vikings’ next four games after this are the Rams, Jags, Colts, and Titans. If they get by the Lions, the Vikings likely will lead the division with a cushion through 10 games in. 

[MichiganCardinal]

This is a huge early game. A win and you're tied for the division lead, holding the tiebreaker, in the toughest division in football. A loss and you're two back - effectively three with the tiebreaker.

It's too early to call anything a must win, but it's as important as a week seven game can be. I'm worried about our ability to pressure Darnold without either week one starting edge rusher on the roster. Hopefully Glenn can get creative, because I don't think the flags on our secondary are slowing down against Justin Jefferson.

[RedRamage]

13 hours ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I know they're good, but I'm surprised to see the Vikings favored. We'll see if that spread shifts, but I like the Lions mano a mano.

Currently the Vikings opponents are are combined 16/13 and the Lions opponents are 13/16... so the Vikings have had a tougher scheduled... they have the better record, they'll be playing at home and the Lions just lost Hutch. 

I can easily see the Vikings being favored. I certainly don't think this should be considered an automatic L by any stretch for the Lions, but I also think it could very easily be... especially if Davis ends up being out at well. We'll be down both starting DEs, one starting LB, one starting CB.

This is gonna have to be a 2023 win with the offense just putting up a super high score that the opposing team can't match.

[MichiganCardinal]

Covering JJ is no easy task but at least we won’t be asking a rookie to do it on his own.

[MichiganCardinal]

 

[Jason_R]

 

[Sports_Freak]

This makes me smile;

 

[Jimbo]

This is a game where Glenn needs to prove he is a good defensive coordinator.  Without Hutch you have to get creative and do what Johnson has done on the offensive side of the ball.  Darnold has had a great year although the second half against the Jets wasn't great and they almost blew their lead.  JJ always torches us but hopefully they can do what they did against Lamb.

[KnoxP]

8 hours ago, Jimbo said:

This is a game where Glenn needs to prove he is a good defensive coordinator.  Without Hutch you have to get creative and do what Johnson has done on the offensive side of the ball.  Darnold has had a great year although the second half against the Jets wasn't great and they almost blew their lead.  JJ always torches us but hopefully they can do what they did against Lamb.

I'm repeating myself from last week. JJ will get his share and D will give up some passing yardage. Bend don't break, Vikings will have a hard time getting TD's. Lions by 2 scores!

[Motown Bombers]

This is what Darnold is in for.

 

[KnoxP]

13 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

This is what Darnold is in for.

 

What the… Knocked his feet off! 😂

[MichiganCardinal]

This game is hard to get a read on. I could see a Lions blowout win, a Vikings blowout win, or an incredibly close back-and-forth game that could go either way. The latter is probably most likely - statistically and intuitively.

The Vikings at 5-0 have only really impressed once, against the Texans. They're very good, but beating the 49ers by 6 in week 2, Packers by 2 in week 4, and Jets by 6 in week 5 doesn't inspire confidence that they're about to go 15-2. But they'll be out to prove whatever doubters they still have that they're for real, and they're coming off a bye week.

The further out we get from the Bucs game the more it looks like an outlier for the Lions. I'm still confused how this offense went 1/7 in the red zone. Coming off a laugher in Dallas, normally you would expect a letdown game, but this is a rare opportunity to play as the underdog, which Dan Campbell loves to do. Since the start of the 2023 season, they've only been an underdog in four games (@KC, @Baltimore, @Dallas, @SF). They're 3-1 ATS and 2-2 SU (and would be 3-1 if not for the fiasco in Dallas).

I'll predict a 31-30 game without saying who will win.

[MichiganCardinal]

A key to victory will be capitalizing on Minnesota mistakes. They have the 8th most giveaways in the league and are tied for the second most fumbles lost on offense (5), but have made up for it by having the most interceptions in the league on defense (11).

Fun fact that I'm totally sure I won't regret pointing out tomorrow: the Lions are the last remaining team in the NFL to have not lost a fumble this season.

[MichiganCardinal]

Or maybe our strategy should just be to tell Kerby Joseph to legally tackle Justin Jefferson, have him get a fluke injury (because, you know, tackle football), and allow Vikings fans to all have an aneurysm. 

[holygoat]

Since halftime of the GB game, the Vikes have looked less like world-beaters than they did before it. I don't know if that means anything or not, but just taking each teams last two games, the Lions appear to be on the ascent while the Vikes look to have come down to earth a bit. The NFL is a week-to-week league, though, and losing Hutch is massive. I expect a close, higher scoring game that either team could win. I'd be surprised by a blowout in either direction.

[KnoxP]

2 hours ago, holygoat said:

Since halftime of the GB game, the Vikes have looked less like world-beaters than they did before it. I don't know if that means anything or not, but just taking each teams last two games, the Lions appear to be on the ascent while the Vikes look to have come down to earth a bit. The NFL is a week-to-week league, though, and losing Hutch is massive. I expect a close, higher scoring game that either team could win. I'd be surprised by a blowout in either direction.

The Vikings are in an incredible position for being perceived as an also ran before the season started. @5-0 it would take a major collapse to miss playoffs. 5-7 to finish out still gets them 10-7. Remember a couple years back when they won so many games late and by good fortune then got exposed. Same?

[Sports_Freak]

In case anyone cares;

 

[Motor City Sonics]

Let's practice

ANNC:  And the pass is incomplete, the Lions will be forced to punt

TP FAN:  Ben Johnson is a disgrace.  Worst OC in the game.  

 

ANNC:  First down Vikings

TP FAN:  How does Aaron Glenn have a job?  He just lets teams get first downs.   Has nothing to do with the other team being good,  How can they continue to pay this guy if he lets the other teams get first downs?    

[MichiganCardinal]

Confession time.

Preseason, I scheduled a family function for today, thinking if I had to coincide a function with a Lions game, week seven Lions-Vikings was the time to sacrifice. That game won't be of huge importance, right?

Mistakes were made. Family has been warned.

[Sports_Freak]

I don't have a good feeling about today against a rested Vikings team coming off their bye week and eager to prove themselves against a powerful Lions team. Hopefully, Ben has a good game plan for getting the ball out quickly, the Viking blitz a lot. They're also really good against the run, even though they haven't played against a great OL like the Lions have. Lions 31 Vikings 17

[Hongbit]

I like the Lions to play their normal 3 quarters of solid football.   Vikings take the lead back in the turd quarter and the Lions win in it the 4th.   Defense is on the field to stop Minnesota to secure the win.  
 

Lions 30

Skol Losers 24

[MichiganCardinal]

2 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I don't have a good feeling about today against a rested Vikings team coming off their bye week and eager to prove themselves against a powerful Lions team. Hopefully, Ben has a good game plan for getting the ball out quickly, the Viking blitz a lot. They're also really good against the run, even though they haven't played against a great OL like the Lions have. Lions 31 Vikings 17

I love that this is full of valid reasons for pessimism.... and then a 14-point win prediction.

The kind of homerism this site was made for.

[Tigeraholic1]

O-line gonna get tested.