Vikings (4-2) at Lions (2-2-1)
Lions schedule
T ....... at Arizona ....... 27-27 W ... L.A. Chargers ... 13-10 W .. at Philadelphia .. 27-24 L ...... Kansas City ...... 34-30
BYE
L .... at Green Bay .... 23-22 Oct.20 ..... Minnesota ..... 1 Oct. 27 ..... N.Y. Giants ..... 1 Nov. 3 ... at Oakland ... 4:05 Nov. 10 ..... at Chicago ..... 1 Nov.17 ......... Dallas ......... 1 Nov. 24 . at Washington . 1 Nov. 28 ... Chicago ... 12:30 Dec. 8 .... at Minnesota .... 1 Dec. 15 ..... Tampa Bay ..... 1 Dec. 21 or 22 at Denver TBD Dec. 29 ..... Green Bay ..... 1
Sunday, 1 p.m. ET, Ford Field, Detroit
TV: Fox
Danny Sheridan’s line: by 1
Vikings’ keys to victory: RB Dalvin Cook is off to a terrific start, and as he goes, so goes the offense. His success on the ground forces defenses to account for him and slow down their pass rush. When given extra time, QB Kirk Cousins has shown a strong connection with WR Adam Thielen and appears to have mended fences with WR Stefon Diggs. On defense, expect the Vikings to focus on disrupting the Lions with an aggressive pass rush and disguised intentions.
Lions’ keys to victory: The Vikings are 0-2 in the NFC North and fell behind early in both games. Detroit figures to try to follow this blueprint by attacking vertically on offense, then focusing on controlling time of possession with a ground attack led by RB Kerryon Johnson. On defense, the Lions will attempt to slow down Cook and the Vikings’ rushing attack, making them one-dimensional.
Matchup to watch: Vikings DE Danielle Hunter vs. Lions RT Rick Wagner. Hunter is one of the best pass rushers in the NFL and over the past two seasons has been problematic for Wagner, racking up 61⁄2 sacks over four games. Although Hunter has dominated most of their meetings, Wagner didn’t allow a sack or quarterback hit in their most recent game.
Who wins? They’ve split their last 10 meetings, but the Vikings have won the last three. One common trend in each of those 10 games: If either team scores more than 17 points in regulation, the Vikings win. Expect the Lions to buckle down at home.
Lions, 17-14 Lions