Two weeks ago, the Minnesota Vikings were 5-0 and looking like one of the best teams in football. Now, after two straight ugly losses, Mike Zimmer's squad suddenly has more questions than answers as they prepare to host the Detroit Lions in Week 9. With Minnesota at 5-2 and Detroit 4-4, this game could have some interesting implications in the NFC North race.
Lions vs. Vikings 2016: Start time, live stream, TV schedule, and 3 things to know
The Vikings suddenly look vulnerable after an ugly two-game losing streak. Can the enigmatic Lions take advantage?
The Vikings are in a pretty big swoon after their undefeated start, laying an egg on Monday Night Football with a 20-10 loss to the Chicago Bears. The game wasn't even as close as the score would indicate -- Chicago sat on a comfortable 20-3 lead for most of the second half before Stefon Diggs scored a garbage time touchdown. The offensive line was atrocious, getting manhandled by a middling Bears front four, and Sam Bradford got sacked five times. Two days after the loss, Vikings offensive coordinator Norv Turner abruptly resigned, leaving tight ends coach Pat Shurmur as the new man calling the plays.
The defense wasn't as good as it normally is either, getting picked apart by Jay Cutler and destroyed on the ground by Jordan Howard.
The Lions are coming off a disappointing 20-13 loss to the Houston Texans, snapping their three-game winning streak. Houston jumped out to a 17-3 lead and Detroit struggled to do anything on offense, failing to find the end zone until the fourth quarter when Matthew Stafford hit Theo Riddick with a 1-yard touchdown. Jim Caldwell elected to do an onside kick, which didn't work, and Houston was able to kill the clock. The Lions drop to 1-3 on the road this year.
How to watch and stream
TV: 1 p.m. ET
Place: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis
TV: Fox
Online: Sunday Ticket, Fox Sports GO
Announcers: Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston, with Laura Okmin on the sideline.
The More You Know: Head to Pride of Detroit for complete Lions coverage. Vikings fans, check out Daily Norseman.
3 big things to know
1. Sam Bradford is turning back into a pumpkin. He's not getting any help from his offensive line, but Bradford has now strung together two bad games in a row. Bradford has devolved back into the same jittery, frustrating quarterback he's been for years in runs with the St. Louis Rams and Philadelphia Eagles. If there's any hope of him bouncing back, he'll have to produce against the Lions defense, which is 19th in the league in passing yards allowed per game.
2. The Vikings defense can’t do it all by itself. Minnesota still fields one of the best defenses in the league, but the Bears game showed us that the offense has to start sustaining drives. The Bears won the time-of-possession battle, 32:41 to 27:19, while forcing the Vikings to punt seven times. The Vikings defense is great, but they can be beaten -- especially if Bradford and company are committing constant three-and-outs and forcing them back out there on short fields.
3. Which Lions team will show up? The Lions are as streaky as any team in the league this year. They stumbled out of the gate, losing three in a row to go 1-3. Then they won three straight games and started looking like a real playoff contender before putting up a dud against the Texans. The NFC North is crowded at the top between the Vikings, Packers, and Lions, and Detroit needs to start playing more consistent football if it's going to keep pace with the other two teams. Getting a divisional win on the road would be a nice boost of momentum heading into the Lions' Week 10 bye, so long as they get out of their own way.
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