The Detroit Lions are in the midst of an excellent season, but it could all be undone with one bad performance. Detroit, which is 9-4, is barely in the NFC playoffs as a wild card team with the Dallas Cowboys breathing down its neck. In a year where it could take at least 11 wins to make the postseason, Detroit has no room for error against a tough Minnesota Vikings team on Sunday.
Vikings vs. Lions 2014: Online streaming, time, TV schedule and radio
Detroit is searching for an elusive playoff berth, while Minnesota keeps improving.
Detroit is closing out its home schedule with Minnesota, before hitting the road to play the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers. The Lions have been solid at Ford Field this season, only losing to the Buffalo Bills back in Week 5. With one more win at home the playoffs will become a much greater probability.
This year, Detroit has not simply been reliant on a great passing attack but also a terrific defense which ranks first against the run and second overall, only behind the Seattle Seahawks. Offensively it continues to be the Matthew Stafford aerial assault, with Golden Tate and Calvin Johnson combining for over 2,000 yards and nine touchdowns. The production drops off steeply after that with Theo Riddick third on the team with 272 receiving yards.
Minnesota is only 6-7, but it has exceeded most expectations. The Vikings came into the season with a first-year head coach in Mike Zimmer, an unsettled quarterback situation and an All-Pro running back in Adrian Peterson. Then Peterson was gone after just one game because of his child-abuse incident, leaving rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to pick up the slack.
Bridgewater has shown why the Vikings selected him in the first round out of Louisville. While his numbers aren't eye-popping, Bridgewater has been steady with 2,136 yards, a 61.9 completion percentage and 10 touchdowns against eight interceptions. Greg Jennings has been Bridgewater's go-to target, with the veteran hauling in 50 catches for 598 yards and four touchdowns.
How to Watch
Where: Ford Field, Detroit
When: 4:05 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Announcers: Chris Myers, Ronde Barber
Online streaming: Verizon NFL Mobile | NFL Sunday Ticket
Odds
Detroit is favored by 7.5 points at home over Minnesota, with an over/under of 41.5 points, per OddsShark.
Further Reading
For more on the Vikings, check out the Daily Norseman.
To keep up with the Lions, head over to Pride of Detroit.
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