Week Fourteen: Minnesota Vikings (10-2) @ Detroit Lions (5-7)

[MichiganCardinal]

          vs.          

Setting: 12/11/2022 1:00pm EST on FOX

Site: Ford Field in Detroit, MI

Weather: Climate Controlled

Opening Spread: Vikings -3

All-Time Series Record: Vikings lead, 80-40-2

Last Meeting: 09/25/2022, Vikings won 28-24

 

Minnesota Vikings (10-2)

Head Coach: Kevin O'Connell (1st Season: 10-2)

Projected Starting QB: Kirk Cousins (11th Season: 69-61-2)

Last Week: 27-22 W v. New York Jets (7-5)

Looking Ahead to Week #15: Saturday v. Indianapolis Colts (4-8-1)

 

Your Detroit Lions (5-7)

Head Coach: Dan Campbell (2nd Season: 8-20-1)

Projected Starting QB: Jared Goff (7th Season: 50-44-1)

Last Week: 40-14 W v. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8)

Looking Ahead to Week #15: Sunday @ New York Jets (7-5)

 

Elsewhere in the NFL

Primetime: Raiders @ Rams (TNF), Dolphins @ Chargers (SNF), Patriots @ Cardinals (MNF)

1:00pm: Jets @ Bills, Browns @ Bengals, Texans @ Cowboys, Eagles @ Giants, Ravens @ Steelers, Jaguars @ Titans

4:05/4:25pm: Chiefs @ Broncos, Panthers @ Seahawks, Buccaneers @ 49ers

BYE: Atlanta Falcons, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, Washington Commanders

[Motown Bombers]

 

[sagnam]

Nice

[Motown Bombers]

Here's my bold hot take: If the Lions win this game, they will make the playoffs baring something unforeseen like a season ending injury to Goff. 

[TP_Fan]

Still seems like a real long shot to make the playoffs. That tie made the road more difficult.  A 4-1 finish is doable, but that’s likely still not enough. 

[RedRamage]

1 hour ago, TP_Fan said:

Still seems like a real long shot to make the playoffs. That tie made the road more difficult.  A 4-1 finish is doable, but that’s likely still not enough. 

There was a point in another thread that if the Lions went 4-1 we'd need two other teams from the Seattle/NY/Washington group to only get one more win.

That said, *if* the Lions win Sunday, I'd think they'd be favored to win out the rest of their games.  @Jets the following week would probably be the hardest remaining game.  @Carolina should be winnable.  Bears at home should be easy.  @Packers will potentially be tough just because it's outdoors in the middle of winter, but still should be winnable.

All this said: I do NOT think the Lions are making the playoffs.

[Motown Bombers]

My bold take is the Lions do win out if they win this game. They will be favored in all the remaining games. Dan Campbell will win coach of the year in that case and people will still be saying look at the Giants!

[NYLion]

1 hour ago, Motown Bombers said:

Here's my bold hot take: If the Lions win this game, they will make the playoffs baring something unforeseen like a season ending injury to Goff. 

It's going to be tough. The Giants/Commies tie really hurt the cause and made the tiebreaker they had over both irrelevant, plus they're essentially 3 games behind Seattle because of the tiebreaker. I'm not even sure 9-8 gets it done tbh, they'll need to run the table most likely.

[Motown Bombers]

13 minutes ago, NYLion said:

It's going to be tough. The Giants/Commies tie really hurt the cause and made the tiebreaker they had over both irrelevant, plus they're essentially 3 games behind Seattle because of the tiebreaker. I'm not even sure 9-8 gets it done tbh, they'll need to run the table most likely.

After this game, they have the Jets, Panthers, Bears and Packers. I think they would be favored in all of those games. That's why it's a bold take. I think they run the table if they get this win. Giants have two against the Eagles, one against the Vikings, and one against Washington. Not an easy schedule. 

Lets not forget the 49ers. They only lead Seattle by 1 game. They lost Garoppolo for the season. They play Seattle, Washington, Tampa and a tough Raiders team. The 49ers could very well fall out of the playoffs. Plus, all the teams ahead of the Lions play each other. Not all of them are going to win out. 

[Motown Bombers]

 

[Sports_Freak]

Even if the Lions don't make the playoffs, this winning surge is very encouraging. With another quality draft, we <should> be a serious contender next season. 

Goff...9 drives, 8 scores. The other drive? Kneel down. Maybe we already have a winning combo at QB and OC?

[Motown Bombers]

There's a better than zero chance Ben Johnson is a head coach somewhere next season, but the Lions should certainly be in the mix as NFC North contenders next year. Goff is putting up top 10 numbers and the Lions have a top 10 offense. I don't see them drafting a QB. 

[NYLion]

26 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

After this game, they have the Jets, Panthers, Bears and Packers. I think they would be favored in all of those games. That's why it's a bold take. I think they run the table if they get this win. Giants have two against the Eagles, one against the Vikings, and one against Washington. Not an easy schedule. 

Lets not forget the 49ers. They only lead Seattle by 1 game. They lost Garoppolo for the season. They play Seattle, Washington, Tampa and a tough Raiders team. The 49ers could very well fall out of the playoffs. Plus, all the teams ahead of the Lions play each other. Not all of them are going to win out. 

The 49ers aren't falling out of the playoffs, they rely on their QB less than just about any other team. I wouldn't rule out the Lions making the playoffs (they obviously have a shot) but it's a real longshot.

The positive is that it's two spots up for grabs, not one, so they'll just need to pass two of those teams not all three but it's a tall order which the Giants/Commies tie made even taller.

With that said, just the mere fact that we're discussing playoff possibilities in December is a big step in itself.

[MichiganCardinal]

I'm looking at one game at a time still. I thought they would go 9-8 and make the playoffs as a #7 seed. If they go 8-9 or 9-8 and miss the playoffs, I won't be upset.

[MichiganCardinal]

1 minute ago, Motown Bombers said:

There's a better than zero chance Ben Johnson is a head coach somewhere next season, but the Lions should certainly be in the mix as NFC North contenders next year. Goff is putting up top 10 numbers and the Lions have a top 10 offense. I don't see them drafting a QB. 

There aren't going to be that many openings. At least not as many as last year.

Colts if they don't retain Saturday. Panthers, Cardinals... Maybe the Texans? Maybe the Broncos? Maybe the Raiders?

There were seven openings last year. I would guess there are four this year. He'll get interviewed, but landing one of those 32 jobs isn't easy.

[Motown Bombers]

2 minutes ago, MichiganCardinal said:

There aren't going to be that many openings. At least not as many as last year.

Colts if they don't retain Saturday. Panthers, Cardinals... Maybe the Texans? Maybe the Broncos? Maybe the Raiders?

There were seven openings last year. I would guess there are four this year. He'll get interviewed, but landing one of those 32 jobs isn't easy.

Ben Johnson went to North Carolina. The Panthers are looking to draft a QB or maybe they want someone to work with Darnold after what Johnson has done with Goff. I think Carolina is the most likely landing spot if Johnson gets a job. 

I could also see McVay bailing on the Rams but I believe he recently signed a big contract. 

[RedRamage]

20 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

There's a better than zero chance Ben Johnson is a head coach somewhere next season, but the Lions should certainly be in the mix as NFC North contenders next year. Goff is putting up top 10 numbers and the Lions have a top 10 offense. I don't see them drafting a QB. 

The NFL is such a "what have you done for me lately" league.  I mean here's a guy who been mostly a positions coach... he gets one year as an OC... granted a mostly successful year, but one year none-the-less.. and he's talked about as a legit HC candidate. 

But the league is so focused on the very recent past and I think there's such a fear of missing out on the next great coaching mind that people like Johnson are being poached with a relatively small track record, just in case!

I'll also throw in the rant here that I firmly believe that success as a coordinator does NOT automatically equal success as a HC. Just in the last decade we've seen plenty of mostly successful coordinator who've bombed as HCs here in Detroit.

[RedRamage]

17 minutes ago, Motown Bombers said:

I could also see McVay bailing on the Rams but I believe he recently signed a big contract. 

Could you imagine the hell the Rams would be in if McVay left?  Stafford's a question mark moving forward (health), you don't have much depth due to giving away all your draft picks, you don't have a HC... man that franchise would be in for a few very rough years.  Of course, they'd still probably rebuild and be back in a SB for the Lions made one.

[Motown Bombers]

3 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

The NFL is such a "what have you done for me lately" league.  I mean here's a guy who been mostly a positions coach... he gets one year as an OC... granted a mostly successful year, but one year none-the-less.. and he's talked about as a legit HC candidate. 

But the league is so focused on the very recent past and I think there's such a fear of missing out on the next great coaching mind that people like Johnson are being poached with a relatively small track record, just in case!

I'll also throw in the rant here that I firmly believe that success as a coordinator does NOT automatically equal success as a HC. Just in the last decade we've seen plenty of mostly successful coordinator who've bombed as HCs here in Detroit.

Teams want to get the next up and coming head coach. No one was enthused about the potential of hiring Darrell Bevell. Ben Johnson is young and leading a hot offense. Teams want the next Sean McVay. 

[Jason_R]

We’ve come a long way from is this guy going to call plays to is this guy going to leave for a head coach position. 

I see the attraction to him as a candidate but it is a big stretch to go from one season as play caller to HC. 

[Sports_Freak]

6 hours ago, NYLion said:

The 49ers aren't falling out of the playoffs, they rely on their QB less than just about any other team. I wouldn't rule out the Lions making the playoffs (they obviously have a shot) but it's a real longshot.

The positive is that it's two spots up for grabs, not one, so they'll just need to pass two of those teams not all three but it's a tall order which the Giants/Commies tie made even taller.

With that said, just the mere fact that we're discussing playoff possibilities in December is a big step in itself.

Agreed. And between a ton of draft picks and free agents wanting to come here to play for Campbell, the future is bright. A winning culture really does attract talented players.

[Tigeraholic1]

5 hours ago, Jason_R said:

We’ve come a long way from is this guy going to call plays to is this guy going to leave for a head coach position. 

I see the attraction to him as a candidate but it is a big stretch to go from one season as play caller to HC. 

Agree, I hope his inexperience keeps him hear another year. Coaching, like playing together takes awhile to gel. Regardless of the season ending this foundation has a some cornerstones to build on.

[RandyMarsh]

Between Jamo and Pashal essentially not playing yet this year, the 2 1sts and 2 2nds next year we will basically be adding 6 1st and 2nd round picks to the roster we have been playing this year. 

[Motown Bombers]

7 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Between Jamo and Pashal essentially not playing yet this year, the 2 1sts and 2 2nds next year we will basically be adding 6 1st and 2nd round picks to the roster we have been playing this year. 

Romeo Okwara is also returning. If the Lions don't decide to cut him, that could be another key addition. The Lions also have no significant free agents other than Jamaal Williams and should have a little cap space.

[Tigeraholic1]

53 minutes ago, RandyMarsh said:

Between Jamo and Pashal essentially not playing yet this year, the 2 1sts and 2 2nds next year we will basically be adding 6 1st and 2nd round picks to the roster we have been playing this year. 

Those draft picks defense, defense, defense. Maybe depth for O-Line but also defense.