The Detroit Lions, fresh off snagging their first division crown in 30 years, are set to lock horns with the Minnesota Vikings at home this Sunday in a bid to power up before the playoffs, with the Vikings equally desperate for a victory that could thrust them into postseason contention, CBS Minnesota reports.
A heartbreaker last week against Dallas saw the Lions’ 2-point conversion, and their dreams of clinching the top NFC seed, wiped out by a contentious penalty call—but the team is charging ahead, needing a win against the Vikings and hoping for a pair of upsets to nab the No. 2 seed, which could set them up for two home games this month; Detroit’s head honcho Dan Campbell is gunning to "play good clean, solid, competitive football" and the only players he's resting are the truly damaged ones, he's planning to dive into full-throttle play with his starting lineup, per The Crescent-News.
Things have not been rosy for the Vikings, whose season took hits with injuries to key players, including a season-ending Achilles injury to quarterback Kirk Cousins and a multi-game absence for top receiver Justin Jefferson; despite these setbacks, they remain in the playoff hunt, latching on to the slim chance a win plus losses by Green Bay, Seattle, and either Tampa Bay or New Orleans would slip them into the playoff brackets, Jefferson said "It’s just not our time, and there's just things occurring that we can't control," according to an interview with CBS Minnesota.
A position of contention still lingers from the Lions' ill-fated contest with the Cowboys, where a controversial penalty on a 2-point conversion attempt still stings; although the NFL clarified reporting rules subsequently Campbell's gamble on those high-stakes plays at Dallas shows he's not one to shy away from risk, and the team is leaving that dispute in the rearview, defensive tackle Alim McNeill and defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson are on track for a comeback, bolstering Detroit’s defense just in time, meanwhile Minnesota is grappling with the absence of former Detroit tight end T.J. Hockenson who sustained a nasty injury in a previous clash with the Lions, The Crescent-News reports.
The Vikings have been playing quarterback musical chairs with Nick Mullens set to start; after throwing four picks against the Lions two weeks ago then getting benched for rookie Jaren Hall who faltered, "Nick has been very effective moving the team," Coach Kevin O’Connell claims, looking for stability under center at a time when it’s needed the most, per The Crescent-News, as the two NFC North rivals brace for a skirmish that could define their seasons in distinctly different ways.
