Week Sixteen: Detroit Lions (10-4) @ Minnesota Vikings (7-7)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

Setting: 12/24/2023 1:00pm EST on FOX

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

Weather: Climate Controlled

Opening Spread: Lions -2.5

All-Time Series Record: Vikings lead, 80-41-2

Last Meeting: 12/11/2022, Lions won 34-23

 

Minnesota Vikings (7-7)

Head Coach: Kevin O'Connell (2nd Season: 20-11)

Projected Starting QB: Nick Mullens (7th Season: 5-13)

Last Week: 27-24 L @ Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) in OT

Looking Ahead to Week #17: Sunday Night v. Green Bay Packers (6-7)*

 

Your Detroit Lions (9-4)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (3rd Season: 22-25-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (8th Season: 64-49-1)

Last Week: 42-17 W v. Denver Broncos (7-7)

Looking Ahead to Week #17: Saturday Night @ Dallas Cowboys (10-3)*

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Saints @ Rams (TNF), Patriots @ Broncos (SNF)

Saturday: Bengals @ Steelers (4:30), Bills @ Chargers (8:00)

1:00pm: Colts @ Falcons, Packers @ Panthers, Browns @ Texans, Commanders @ Jets, Seahawks @ Titans

4:05/4:25pm: Jaguars @ Buccaneers, Cardinals @ Bears, Cowboys @ Dolphins

Christmas Day: Raiders @ Chiefs (1:00), Giants @ Eagles (4:30), Ravens @ 49ers (MNF)

[MichiganCardinal]

All I want for Christmas is an NFC North title.

[TP_Fan]

I’ll be in the house. Taking my woman, who is a vikes fan. 

[RandyMarsh]

1 hour ago, TP_Fan said:

I’ll be in the house. Taking my woman, who is a vikes fan. 

Godspeed to her if Johnson dials up a 2nd and 3rd long run play. 😀

Edited December 17, 2023 by RandyMarsh

[buddha]

nick mullens is the vikings qb.  the lions should win.

[Jason_R]

Detroit cannot be stopped! Undefeated the rest of the way baby! 😂

Was nice to have the whole OL play the whole game. If the OL stays healthy, and the defense can muster a few takeaways, anything could happen. 

[Motown Bombers]

5 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

Detroit cannot be stopped! Undefeated the rest of the way baby! 😂

Was nice to have the whole OL play the whole game. If the OL stays healthy, and the defense can muster a few takeaways, anything could happen. 

As long as Ben Johnson doesn't get in the way.

[Sports_Freak]

58 minutes ago, Jason_R said:

Detroit cannot be stopped! Undefeated the rest of the way baby! 😂

Was nice to have the whole OL play the whole game. If the OL stays healthy, and the defense can muster a few takeaways, anything could happen. 

Teams haven't beat Dallas at home in a long time. I'll take a sweep of the Vikings and a close game in Dallas.

[CMRivdogs]

Just for fun...

 

[Motown Bombers]

3 minutes ago, CMRivdogs said:

Just for fun...

 

Stafford throws a pass on 3rd to 1 to Higbee but Anzalone is face guarding and makes contact. Flag is thrown and picked up. Lions get the ball back on a shanked punt. Goff completes an improbable 4th down pass while Donald is being held every play. Lions win. 

[MichiganCardinal]

Assuming we don't get the bye, who would we like to see in the wildcard round, if we had a choice?

Right now it's (6) Vikings (7-7), (7) Rams (7-7), (8) Saints (7-7), (9) Seahawks (6-7), (10) Falcons (6-8), (11) Packers (6-8)... the Giants and Bears are technically not eliminated, but for all intents and purposes aren't worth considering.

The Rams, Falcons, Saints, Packers are probably my four preferred in order. Stafford's return to Detroit being in Ford Field's first playoff game would be cinematic. And I don't think they're that great of a team. While I think they are going to capitalize on your mistakes if you make any (any playoff team would), I think they would be playing with house money as a 6 or 7-seed. They're a middle of the pack team across pretty much every metric, and I think Goff would have a field day against McVay. Neither the Saints or Falcons impress me. We've done it once and we can do it again. While a rubber match against the Packers doesn't seem appealing, they've plateaued since that matchup, and I think the Lions would be ready to roll over the Packers more akin to the first meeting.

The Vikings I don't love, but I also think we should win. I don't love the idea of playing three out of four consecutive weeks against one opponent. Hopefully we would only be playing starters for one of the first two games, and I'm sure either way we would have cards close to the chest in the second match if we saw the third one coming, but it just feels weird. In any event though, I think we would win.

The Seahawks scare me a bit. They just seem to have our number for some reason. Another game we should win, but we should have beat them in week two. And last year.

[MichiganCardinal]

23 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

Stafford throws a pass on 3rd to 1 to Higbee but Anzalone is face guarding and makes contact. Flag is thrown and picked up after Jamo runs on the field without his helmet. Lions get the ball back on a shanked punt. Goff completes an improbable 4th down pass while Donald is being held every play. Lions win. 

You missed an important detail but I fixed it.

[Jason_R]

9 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Assuming we don't get the bye, who would we like to see in the wildcard round, if we had a choice?

Right now it's (6) Vikings (7-7), (7) Rams (7-7), (8) Saints (7-7), (9) Seahawks (6-7), (10) Falcons (6-8), (11) Packers (6-8)... the Giants and Bears are technically not eliminated, but for all intents and purposes aren't worth considering.

The Rams, Falcons, Saints, Packers are probably my four preferred in order. Stafford's return to Detroit being in Ford Field's first playoff game would be cinematic. And I don't think they're that great of a team. While I think they are going to capitalize on your mistakes if you make any (any playoff team would), I think they would be playing with house money as a 6 or 7-seed. They're a middle of the pack team across pretty much every metric, and I think Goff would have a field day against McVay. Neither the Saints or Falcons impress me. We've done it once and we can do it again. While a rubber match against the Packers doesn't seem appealing, they've plateaued since that matchup, and I think the Lions would be ready to roll over the Packers more akin to the first meeting.

The Vikings I don't love, but I also think we should win. I don't love the idea of playing three out of four consecutive weeks against one opponent. Hopefully we would only be playing starters for one of the first two games, and I'm sure either way we would have cards close to the chest in the second match if we saw the third one coming, but it just feels weird. In any event though, I think we would win.

The Seahawks scare me a bit. They just seem to have our number for some reason. Another game we should win, but we should have beat them in week two. And last year.

Do not want to play Stafford, Kupp, Nacua, and Donald. Give me the Aints. 

[Motown Bombers]

Matthew Stafford doesn't win playoff games in Detroit. 

[Hongbit]

Everything about SKOL including the stupid pattycake clap they do to start the game is dumb as hell.  

 

[lordstanley]

[buddha]

1 hour ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Assuming we don't get the bye, who would we like to see in the wildcard round, if we had a choice?

Right now it's (6) Vikings (7-7), (7) Rams (7-7), (8) Saints (7-7), (9) Seahawks (6-7), (10) Falcons (6-8), (11) Packers (6-8)... the Giants and Bears are technically not eliminated, but for all intents and purposes aren't worth considering.

The Rams, Falcons, Saints, Packers are probably my four preferred in order. Stafford's return to Detroit being in Ford Field's first playoff game would be cinematic. And I don't think they're that great of a team. While I think they are going to capitalize on your mistakes if you make any (any playoff team would), I think they would be playing with house money as a 6 or 7-seed. They're a middle of the pack team across pretty much every metric, and I think Goff would have a field day against McVay. Neither the Saints or Falcons impress me. We've done it once and we can do it again. While a rubber match against the Packers doesn't seem appealing, they've plateaued since that matchup, and I think the Lions would be ready to roll over the Packers more akin to the first meeting.

The Vikings I don't love, but I also think we should win. I don't love the idea of playing three out of four consecutive weeks against one opponent. Hopefully we would only be playing starters for one of the first two games, and I'm sure either way we would have cards close to the chest in the second match if we saw the third one coming, but it just feels weird. In any event though, I think we would win.

The Seahawks scare me a bit. They just seem to have our number for some reason. Another game we should win, but we should have beat them in week two. And last year.

the falcons, no doubt.  desmond ridder is a terrible qb.

[RandyMarsh]

I feel fairly well against any of the teams with the exception of Seattle just cause our recent history with them. 

In a vacuum though I think the Rams would be the scariest of the bunch since they have a legit competent qb, stud WR and potential game changer on defense. Our offense should be able to have their way with them but their offense could give us trouble so Id prefer not to face them either even though like I said Id still feel relatively confident just not as much as I would against the NFC South or North teams. 

 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[RandyMarsh]

 

[CMRivdogs]

23 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

 

Just need to keep them in bubble wrap

[MichiganCardinal]

9 minutes ago, CMRivdogs said:

Just need to keep them in bubble wrap

Seriously. Win on Christmas Eve and prioritize health over everything. Don’t sacrifice health for a chance at the 2-seed instead of the 3-seed, because if we have a patchwork offensive line, we aren’t winning any playoff game, home or away.

[lordstanley]

37 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

Seriously. Win on Christmas Eve and prioritize health over everything. Don’t sacrifice health for a chance at the 2-seed instead of the 3-seed, because if we have a patchwork offensive line, we aren’t winning any playoff game, home or away.

Yes. And wouldn’t it be great to have CJ Gardner-Johnson available  to test his health and shake rust off in a largely meaningless Week 18 game at home to Minnesota. 

[MichiganCardinal]

10 minutes ago, lordstanley said:

Yes. And wouldn’t it be great to have CJ Gardner-Johnson available  to test his health and shake rust off in a largely meaningless Week 18 game at home to Minnesota. 

James Houston too. Imagine those two, Teddy Bridgewater, and Hendon Hooker leading our scout team to a win over a Minnesota team needing a win for the 7-seed.

[Toddwert]

this seams like a TSOL loss in the past.. this will be a sign of a change in the direction of the franchise for sure