The Detroit Lions are coming off a big win over a division rival, and will now be treated to another opportunity to make their claim to being the best in the NFC North.
On Sunday, the Lions will host the 6-0 Minnesota Vikings. Under Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings have started the year unbeaten including a comeback win over the Packers in Week 1.
Now, Detroit will have a chance to deliver their first loss while cutting into their division deficit as they look to make it three NFC North titles in four years. While there’s still plenty of football to be played beyond Week 8, the ramifications of a win or a loss in this game are hard to ignore.
Here are 10 thoughts ahead of the Lions’ Week 8 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
Player to watch
Veteran quarterback Jared Goff is off to one of the best starts he’s ever had through six games. He has thrown 14 touchdowns, and has just one turnover which was a fumbled snap in Sunday’s win over the Green Bay Packers.
While the start has been phenomenal, Sunday will be the biggest test he’s faced up to this point of the season. The Vikings come in undefeated, and their defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy scheme will be an entirely new challenge both for Goff and the offensive line.
Goff is 4-2 against the Vikings with Flores as the coordinator. He has thrown nine touchdowns against four interceptions, with two of those picks coming in the teams’ Christmas Day meeting at Minnesota last year and had five total turnovers in the two meetings. After getting swept by the Vikings last year, Detroit will be looking to get revenge — and Goff staying turnover free against one of the league’s best defenses will be a big key to that effort.
First place push
With their win over the Packers, the Lions moved to 4-2 and jumped ahead of Green Bay in the NFC North standings. They currently sit behind the unbeaten, 6-0 Vikings and the 5-2 Chicago Bears heading into Week 8.
Detroit can’t jump into first-place with a win over Minnesota, as they’re currently two games back. However, a win would cut the deficit in half and allow them to hold the tiebreaker prior to their return matchup in Minnesota in December.
On the contrary, a loss would move them to three games behind the Vikings, and a corresponding win by the Packers against Carolina Thursday would push them back into last-place. The Lions have always believed the key to a big playoff run is starting with a home playoff game, which can only be attained by winning the division.
Because of both the current and future implications this game holds, Sunday’s game is a must-win for Detroit to stay in the race for the division title at midseason.
Coordinator showdown
Now in his fourth year as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator, Flores will look to put his stamp on this division rivalry once again at Ford Field. He and former Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson battled for two years, then Flores got the best of John Morton in stifling Detroit’s offense in both games last year.
Now, Lions’ first-year coordinator Drew Petzing will get a chance to out-scheme the veteran defensive play-caller. Flores is widely regarded as one of the best defensive minds in football, and the team’s output through their unbeaten start speaks for itself.
Petzing has the Lions humming through the first six games of the year, though they were held under 30 for the first time all year Sunday against the Packers. Now, he matches wits with one of the game’s top defensive minds with a chance to keep the Lions’ divisional hopes afloat.
Ready for pressure?
The Lions will be facing one of the league’s best defenses on Sunday, and multiple numbers tell the story on just how good the Vikings have been through six games on that side of the ball. They are tied-for-first with Detroit with 21 sacks, and have allowed the NFL’s lowest completion percentage (53.9) and passing yards (1,085) along with the fewest amount of passing touchdowns (three) up to this point in the season.
Young defensive end Dallas Turner has paced the defense with six sacks, while the return of veteran Harrison Smith has fueled the secondary. Cornerback Byron Murphy has three interceptions and will be looking to add to that tally working against Detroit’s plethora of playmakers at receiver.
Secondary rotation
The Lions tried a new strategy with their secondary against Green Bay in Week 7. Rather than having two cornerbacks play the dominant share of the snaps, they cycled in options in an effort to combat Green Bay’s deep passing game and the natural fatigue that can come with tracking receivers deep down the field on a consistent basis.
Because of this, all eight of Detroit’s active defensive backs in Sunday’s game played at least 14 snaps. D.J. Reed played perhaps his best game of the season, while Khalil Dorsey impressed enough in his 14 snaps to warrant a postgame shoutout from his head coach.
While the Vikings’ style will be different, it’s no secret they have an array of offensive weapons of their own. Justin Jefferson will cause problems, and has a history of playing well against the Lions. However, Detroit’s new strategy is worth exploring for at least another week.
Murray’s struggles against Detroit
Kyler Murray will get his first opportunity to take on the Lions as a member of the Vikings after signing with them in the offseason. A former No. 1 overall pick of the Arizona Cardinals, Murray spent seven years in Arizona before being released after injuries limited him to five games last year.
It will be a reunion between Murray and his former offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing who now holds the same title with the Lions. In Murray’s career, he is winless against the Lions with an 0-3-1 mark.
In those meetings, Murray has totaled 1,042 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. A mobile quarterback who utilizes his legs, he has rushed for 86 yards total in his four meetings with Detroit. Keeping him contained will be a big point of emphasis on Sunday.
New-look Lions
After wearing their all-black alternate uniforms last week, the Lions will once again have a different look for Sunday’s game against the Vikings. They will be debuting their “Rivalries” uniforms, which were unveiled in August.
The jerseys are a light silver with black numbers and blue outlines and lettering. Detroit will wear their blue alternate helmets with the uniform to complete the look.
It’s a distinct look inspired by the city’s heritage involving automobiles, and it will be interesting to gauge the fan reaction to seeing them for the first time on the field.
When they were unveiled, the reaction from the fan base was a mixed bag. However, things could change when the Lions are in action. Coincidentally, the Vikings will debut their own new uniforms when they host the Lions in December.
Best-case scenario
For things to go well for the Lions, it starts and ends with Goff’s performance. In their best-case scenario, Goff tears up the Vikings’ blitz-oriented scheme and has answers for everything pre-snap. Using his array of playmakers, the veteran quarterback distributes the ball evenly, and the Lions strike quickly with explosive plays in the first half.
After halftime with the Vikings forced to adjust, the Lions can churn the clock with their run game. Defensively, Brian Branch shines and they force Murray into multiple turnovers, negating the impact of Justin Jefferson.
Worst-case scenario
Last time the Lions played the Vikings, it was about as disastrous as possible. Goff looked frazzled throughout the game, and the team turned the ball over five times. The worst-case scenario would be more of the same, with Flores out-scheming Petzing and forcing Goff to be under duress throughout the game.
In this scenario, the Lions find some answers after halftime, but the defense is picked apart early by the connection of Murray and Jefferson. Former Lion T.J. Hockenson scores an early touchdown, and the Lions go quietly in a disappointing divisional blowout loss.
Bold prediction
Last week against the Packers, the Lions utilized Penei Sewell as a jumbo tight end in a red-zone package for two plays. After blocking on the first play, Sewell ran a route and drew defensive coverage on the second play, which led to Jameson Williams running free for a touchdown.
It appears as though the Lions are setting something up for the ultra-athletic offensive tackle. They’ve not shied away from utilizing linemen in the pass game before, and in a divisional game the Lions could be looking for unique looks.
Sewell has made an impact in the passing game against the Vikings before, and could be set up to do so again. Detroit has been creative offensively, and the next step for that would be to get their All-Pro tackle a catch in the end-zone for his first-career score.
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