Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions
Ford Field
Detroit, Michigan
Well, this is it, folks. . .either we'll still be barely alive by the time this one's over, or it'll essentially be time to fold up the tents for this season.
The Lions' defense is pretty bad, ranked 25th overall in the NFL. They're #22 against the run and 25th against the pass, just ahead of the Vikings' 26th pass defense. . .almost comparable if you ignore the fact that the Lions have faced about 2 fewer games worth of pass attempts than the Vikings have, and are allowing 68% of attempts against them to be completed, compared to the Vikings' 58% clip.
Detroit's offense has actually been respectable this year, ranking 16th in the league in yardage. . .6th in the league in passing, and 31st in the league running the ball. Last time these two teams met, Kevin Jones led the Lions in rushing with a blistering 8 yards on 10 carries. No reason to expect anything drastically different today. The Lions won't be running the ball against the Vikings, but I have a sneaky suspicion that they'll still be able to move the ball.
Chester Taylor, from what I can gather from ESPN Radio, didn't even make the trip to Detroit, so Ciatrick Fason and Mewelde Moore will be carrying the proverbial mail this afternoon. The Vikings' running game doesn't worry me. . .I think they'll be able to move the ball on the ground against Detroit's defense. The big question is will Detroit's pass defense be bad enough for Brad Johnson (who, yes, is going to start again) to be able to accomplish anything through the air and allow the Vikings to get some points on the board.
I don't want the season to be over yet, folks.
Gonzo's Final Score Prediction: Vikings 20, Lions 16
It's football time, folks!