These aren’t the same old Detroit Lions that are about to motor into U.S. Bank Stadium for what already feels like a critical NFC North showdown against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. These cats can play.
Minnesota is favored by six points, but the history between the two – especially when they duke it out in Minneapolis – suggests that’s an aggressive spread. Each of the last three games between the Vikings and Lions have been decided by two points.
The Vikings beat the Lions 19-17 last year in Minneapolis, which will exist for eternity in Vikings lore for the subsequent shoving match between Kirk Cousins and Mike Zimmer. Minnesota then lost 29-27 at Detroit on a touchdown pass from Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown as time expired in the fourth quarter – the Lions first win of the year at their 12th attempt.
It was a 37-35 Vikings win at U.S. Bank Stadium to end the 2020 season. Adrian Peterson scored – for the Lions – in that one. The Vikings have won eight of the last nine against Detroit, but it’s rarely without a battle.
Want a whiff of the vibe in Detroit these days? Look at these extremely optimistic headlines in the Detroit Free Press.
- “Power rankings: First-place (!?!) Lions crack top 20”
- “The Lions are suddenly fun. When was the last time we could say that?”
- “Why the Lions have made m a believer after winning a must-win game”
- “Campbell: Washington win is validation Lions ‘headed in right direction'”
Another headline notes Amon-Ra St. Brown was just named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week, and it’s time to talk about how dangerous he is right now.
He had eight grabs for 64 yards and a touchdown against Philly in Week 1 and followed that up with nine catches for 116 yards and two scores in Week 2. He also ran the ball twice for an electrifying 68 yards.
Amon-Ra has been ruling over his opponents on a weekly basis since halfway through his rookie season last year. He’s the first player in NFL history with at least eight catches and a touchdown in six straight games. Look at this domination:
- 9 catches, 116 yards, 2 touchdowns
- 8 catches, 64 yards, 1 touchdown
- 8 catches, 109 yards, 1 touchdown
- 8 catches, 111 yards, 1 touchdown
- 9 catches, 91 yards, 1 touchdown
- 8 catches, 73 yards, 0 touchdowns
- 10 catches, 86 yards, 1 touchdown
That last game was his breakout party Dec. 5, 2021 against the Vikings, when he caught the game-winning touchdown as time expired. Since then he’s totaled 60 receptions for 650 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Justin Jefferson’s last seven games: 45 catches, 639 yards, 5 touchdowns.
Perhaps more reason to worry is how good the Lions running game and how bad the Vikings rush defense has been through two weeks.
Detroit is third in the NFL with an average of 186 rushing yards per game and they lead the entire league with an eye-popping 7.2 yards per rush. That includes three runs of 40+ yards (no other team has more than one). That’s alarming considering the Packers and Eagles have gouged the Vikings at a clip of 5.3 yards per carry.
D’Andrew Swift had a 50-yard run in Week 1 that should’ve only gone for 8 yards, according to NextGen Stats. In Week 2 he busted off another 50-yarder on a carry that should’ve only gone for 5 yards.
The other beastly run from Detroit was by St. Brown last week when he ripped off a 58-yard burst on a carry that had just 10 “expected rush yards.” Among the top 20 rush yards over expected plays this season, those three by the Lions rank 4th, 5th and 8th.
Swift is averaging an NFL-best 10 yards per carry. What’s more is he’s averaging 6.2 yards per carry before he’s even touched by the defense.
The Lions are explosive and St. Brown and Swift are the two responsible for a lot it. Clearly, these aren’t the same old Lions and they are plenty of reasons the Vikings can’t take them lightly.
Related: Vikings’ season didn’t end in Philly but how they bounce back matters
Related: PFF grades show just how ugly Kirk Cousins, Vikings played in Philly
