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Week Three: Detroit Lions (1-1) @ Minnesota Vikings (1-1)


MichiganCardinal

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  753744666_LionsLogo.png.b69505d59381bef0a1294ad7b12d12ff.png       vs.    2034745364_VikingsLogo.png.d15ca90957e7ef185c058905352d0645.png

Setting: 09/25/2022 1:00pm EST on FOX

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

Weather: Climate Controlled

Opening Spread: Vikings -7.5

All-Time Series Record: Vikings lead, 79-40-2

Last Meeting: 12/05/2021, Lions won 29-27

 

Minnesota Vikings (1-1)

Head Coach: Kevin O'Connell (1st Season: 1-1)

Projected Starting QB: Kirk Cousins (11th Season: 60-60-2)

Last Week: 24-7 L @ Philadelphia Eagles (2-0)

Looking Ahead to Week #4: Sunday v. New Orleans Saints (1-1) in London

851886894_JeffersonPic.thumb.jpeg.f1d101e34699baf1b5d587759bc02efe.jpeg

 

Your Detroit Lions (1-1)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (2nd Season: 4-14-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (7th Season: 46-38-1)

Last Week: 36-27 W v. Washington Commanders (1-1)

Looking Ahead to Week #4: Sunday v. Seattle Seahawks (1-1)

1900160325_LionsPic.thumb.jpeg.f32c1e88854fe1c9af3e1fc658369048.jpeg

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Steelers @ Browns (TNF), 49ers @ Broncos (SNF), Cowboys @ Giants (MNF)

1:00pm: Bills @ Dolphins, Bengals @ Jets, Raiders @ Titans, Saints @ Panthers, Ravens @ Patriots, Eagles @ Commanders, Chiefs @ Colts, Texans @ Bears

4:05/4:25pm: Jaguars @ Chargers, Rams @ Cardinals, Packers @ Buccaneers, Falcons @ Seahawks

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Based on how Hurts looked against Minnesota............maybe the Lions are better than we thought. 

 

Remember, last year, when the Lions were early in their season, just coming off one of the most gut-churning losses against Baltimore (thanks refs), and a bad loss in Chicago?  They went into Minnesota, still not clicking, still in disarray with the offense and it took the Vikings hitting at last-second 54 yard field goal to beat them (Campbell cried)    Then Minnesota came here, with everything still to play for and the Lions beat 'em.    Even in the 0-16 season, they lost in Minnesota 12-10 - the difference being Dan Orlovsky's most famous play. 

I think the Lions have a good chance of winning this game.  Why not?    Cousins isn't mobile.........if they keep pressure on him like they did Wentz, he's not gonna have time to find Jefferson.   And if Jefferson has a good game the Lions can still win because their offense has looked outstanding and they have missed several opportunities so far.  They could have scored over 45 in both of their games,  and at some point Goff & Chark are going to click and when that happens look out (cutting out the drops might help). 

I still see this Lions team as a 7-10 team.    But they don't need a star QB and Goff might be fine.  He has his bad moments, but look around the league.   The second half of this seasons when they bring in Jameson, it's going to be very interesting to see how it all looks.    I know a lot of people want that big name QB, but this team desperately needs LB help.  The D-line seems much better (and has injuries), the secondary is solid with Okudah playing like a first round pick (I knew it was Patricia's fault).  Those LBs are the weak spot.  With 2 first round picks and more dead money coming off the phantom salary cap, they should be able to add at least 2 starting-level LBs next year.  Hopefully Barnes gets it together.    

They may not win in Minny Sunday, but I don't think they'll make it easy for the Vikings and the Lions are going to be a pain in the ass all season.   Not worried about Seattle.  I think that was more on Nathaniel Hackett being a terrible coach than anything else.  

Edited by Motor City Sonics
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It's a big game in the context of what's to come. Taking the season in quarters, a win would almost guarantee a winning first quarter (five games into the bye week), because I think at least one of Seattle and New England is a win.

Minnesota is in an interesting spot, wedged between a short week from MNF and a trip to London. I think it should be a good game.

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Through two games D'Andre Swift is averaging 10 yards per rush. (ASB is averaging 34 yards per rush!) Teams will start to bottle that up until Goff proves he can connect for explosive plays in the passing game. 

But when we look back at the season, unless the young receivers develop in GB, we'll probably say that Philadelphia had the second best roster on the schedule. And the Lions played them even right to the end.

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12 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

He was held to 6/48 against the Eagles. Can Okudah Island emerge? I think Okudah can rise to the challenge, but he might get gashed a couple of times.

but that was mostly against some guy named darius slay, who i was told was terrible and it was a good thing that we traded him...

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1 minute ago, Jason_R said:

Through two games D'Andre Swift is averaging 10 yards per rush. (ASB is averaging 34 yards per rush!) Teams will start to bottle that up until Goff proves he can connect for explosive plays in the passing game. 

But when we look back at the season, unless the young receivers develop in GB, we'll probably say that Philadelphia had the second best roster on the schedule. And the Lions played them even right to the end.

I don't know if we need Goff to connect on 40+ yard passes to be successful. It would certainly help... If they successfully bottle up the run (which Washington tried to do) or start doubling ASB, and we can consistently connect on 10-15 yard patterns (which is something we saw)... that's still a recipe for success. So long as Goff can maintain a high level of accuracy with those throws, we'll be okay.

The offense (to this point) has been too good to neuter by way of taking away a single element.

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4 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

I don't know if we need Goff to connect on 40+ yard passes to be successful. It would certainly help... If they successfully bottle up the run (which Washington tried to do) or start doubling ASB, and we can consistently connect on 10-15 yard patterns (which is something we saw)... that's still a recipe for success. So long as Goff can maintain a high level of accuracy with those throws, we'll be okay.

The offense (to this point) has been too good to neuter by way of taking away a single element.

its all about play-action for Goff.    I just hope Craig Reynolds keeps looking surprisingly good because I just have this feeling that Swift will not play all 17 this year. 

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9 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Cousins and the Vikings for that matter always seem to be one of the most jekyll and hyde teams in the NFL, theres weeks where he and them look elite and others where they look like trash, here's hoping for the latter on Sunday.

This is very true.  Let’s hope it’s another unhinged week for the Vikes.  Philly had constant pressure on him and he folded up.   Hoping for more of the same from our front 7.   Even if he bounces back and shreds,   I don’t see any reason why our offense can’t put up another 35 against these guys.  

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