DETROIT ??A season of ups and downs for the Minnesota Vikings comes down to this: beat Detroit and Chicago and they're in the playoffs.First
up are the banged-up Lions
Womens Frank Ragnow Jersey , who have already been eliminated from postseason contention, but with so much at stake, the Vikings can't afford to look too far
ahead.More Vikings coverageVikings post-Super Bowl 2019 mock draft
roundupVikings complete coaching staff with Maalouf, DennisonMinnesota Vikings
2019 impending free agents primerPhotos of the Week: 1/27/19 – 2/2/19Former
Vikings Pro Bowl QB Wilson dies at 60"We know what we've got to do at this
point. We know how we've got to play," running back Dalvin Cook said. "There's
little time for error right now. We just have to go out there and play clean
football and win football games."Minnesota won just one of its first four games
this season, and the Vikings haven't come close to matching last year's 13-3
record. There will be no division title ??Chicago already clinched that ??but if
the season ended now, the Vikings would be in the playoffs, so they still have
all sorts of opportunities ahead of them.First, they'll try to take care of
business in Detroit.While Minnesota (7-6-1) has been underwhelming this season,
the Lions (5-9) never really looked like contenders. They dropped their first
two games, traded receiver Golden Tate and have now lost a handful of key
players to injuries. Rookie running back Kerryon Johnson, defensive end Ziggy
Ansah and wide receiver Marvin Jones are all on injured reserve.Detroit hasn't
scored more than 22 points in any of its last eight games."Obviously the
playoffs are, that's the goal and that's what you're shooting for every single
week," said Matt Patricia, the Lions' first-year coach. "The thing that's
different, I think, is that every week you don't walk into the room and talk
about playoffs. You just kind of walk in and talk about the game that week. …
The fact is, we still have to go play a really good Minnesota team this weekend
that's coming off a huge win."The Vikings?beat Miami 41-17?last weekend.A few
more things to watch when the Lions host the Vikings:STACKS OF SACKSThe Vikings
set a franchise record with 10 sacks in a win over the Lions?earlier this
season?, and they're coming off a nine-sack performance against Miami. They lead
the league with 47 sacks."You know that they're going to come out there, they're
game-planning against what we've done the first time
Sam Martin Jersey White ," said defensive end Danielle Hunter, who's tied for second in the NFL with a career-high 14? sacks. "We'd expect to see more max
protection, them running the ball and all that. Stuff like that."Lions
quarterback Matthew Stafford has been sacked five times or more in 16 games of
his 10-year career, and seven of those were against the Vikings.STREAKStafford
missed 19 games in his first two seasons while plagued by injuries. He's started
every game since, a streak of 126, not including the playoffs."It means a lot.
Well documented, first two years, (I) missed a bunch and I wanted to prove to my
teammates, this organization, myself, everybody, that I could be out there for
extended periods of time," Stafford said.Stafford has been limited in practice
recently because of back issues, but he pushed back against the idea he should
sit now, with the playoffs out of reach."I spend all offseason and all season
working hard to play in games with these teammates and for this organization,"
he said. "(I) take no games for granted and go out there and play whenever I
feel like I can."READY TO RETURNThe first of five career punt returns for
touchdowns for the Vikings by Marcus Sherels came on Sept. 30, 2012, at Detroit.
Last week against the Dolphins, Sherels had a 70-yard return and totaled 116
yards on five returns."We kind of challenged him a little bit this last week at
being more aggressive," coach Mike Zimmer said.Detroit has activated returner
Jamal Agnew off IR. He was an All-Pro last season.ANOTHER OPTIONWith opponents
frequently sending double teams at Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs
T.J. Jones Jersey , the Vikings have needed other pass catchers to step up for quarterback Kirk Cousins.Aldrick Robinson, who was signed as a free agent two
weeks into the season, has shown some potential. His 40-yard touchdown reception
against the Dolphins gave him five scores in 10 games. He's reached the end zone
on nearly 30 percent of his 17 receptions.MARK OF FAILUREFrom 2001-12, the Lions
had double-digit losses 10 times in 12 seasons. It hasn't happened since that
2012 season, but Detroit needs to win its final two games to avoid it this
year.MINNESOTA (7-6-1) at DETROIT (5-9)Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, FoxOPENING LINE
??Vikings by 3 ?RECORD VS. SPREAD ??Minnesota 7-6-1, Detroit 8-6SERIES RECORD
??Vikings lead 73-39-2LAST MEETING ??Vikings beat Lions 24-9, Nov. 4LAST WEEK
??Vikings beat Dolphins 41-17; Lions lost to Bills 14-13AP PRO32 RANKING
??ikings No. 13, Lions No. 25 (tie)VIKINGS OFFENSE ??OVERALL (15), RUSH (29),
PASS (10)VIKINGS DEFENSE ??OVERALL (4), RUSH (13), PASS (4)LIONS OFFENSE
??OVERALL (24), RUSH (24), PASS (21)LIONS DEFENSE ??OVERALL (13),RUSH (16), PASS
(11)STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES ??Vikings can clinch spot in playoffs with win and
losses by both Washington (at Tennessee) and Philadelphia (vs. Houston). Lions
already eliminated from playoff hunt. … Minnesota sacked Detroit's Matthew
Stafford 10 times in previous meeting. … Vikings have lost six of last nine
games at Ford Field, including game vs. Giants in 2010 that was relocated when
Metrodome collapsed during snowstorm. … Minnesota's 10 sacks vs. Lions set
franchise record. Vikings also had nine sacks vs. Dolphins last
weekend
A'Shawn Robinson Jersey White , making them second team in NFL since 1990 to have two games of nine-plus sacks in same season. Jaguars did it in 2017. ..
Vikings lead NFL with 47 sacks and are first in league in third-down defense
(28.8 percent conversion rate) and second in red-zone defense (42.2 percent
touchdown rate). … Minnesota's Kirk Cousins needs 87 yards passing to reach
4,000 for fourth straight season and post fifth such season in Vikings history
(Warren Moon in 1994 and 1995, Daunte Culpepper in 2004, Brett Favre in 2009). …
Detroit's Kenny Golladay led team with seven receptions for career-high 146
yards last weekend. He has 1,005 yards receiving on season. … Lions trying to
avoid first season with double-digit losses since 2012. Detroit lost at least 10
games 10 times in 12 seasons from 2001-12, but has not done so since. … Lions
put rookie RB Kerryon Johnson on injured reserve this week. DE Ziggy Ansah, WR
Marvin Jones and G T.J. Lang are also on IR. … Detroit RB Zach Zenner trying for
third straight game with rushing touchdown. … Fantasy tip: Could be good week to
have Minnesota defense, given sack total from last meeting and Detroit's
offensive problems. Lions have not scored more than 22 points since Oct. 21.
When it comes to draft knowledge, who do you cede to?"NFL draft season is long
and arduous. Obsessive fans track mock draft after mock draft starting not in
January after the season, but months before that. Hell, some fans and writers
are already tracking the 2020 draft class.But as a fan or curator of content,
you have to be careful who you listen to. Amateur scouting is rampant and often
inaccurate. But it’s nearly impossible to scout an entire draft class with the
limited resources available to the public. At some point, you have to put your
trust into “draft gurus,” at least to some degree. So today’s Question of the
Day is:Which NFL Draft analysts to you trust the most?My answer: Well, obviously
I trust our double-headed approach to the draft with Alex Reno and Kent Lee
Platte. But if we’re talking national guys, I really like all the folks over at
The Draft Network. Their content is not only solidly researched, but it’s also
presented in a very consumable manner. I also enjoy Matt Miller of Bleacher
Report and Dane Brugler of The Athletic. There are a ton more, but in an effort
to leave some to discussion, I’ll leave it there.Your turn.Tweets from
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