5 Bold Predictions: Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions – Week 14
By Chris Schad
Jones and Golladay will both go over 100 yards
Of course, the biggest weakness for the Minnesota Vikings has been the performance of their secondary. In the Week 7 victory over the Lions, Marvin Jones had a day catching four touchdown passes (including three in the first half) and sending Xavier Rhodes to his first temper tantrum of the year. Although Kenny Golladay was held to just one catch for 21 yards, we saw last week that David Blough isn’t afraid to throw downfield and that could be a nightmare for the Vikings.
Of the biggest concern is what the Vikings are going to do against Jones. Jones scored a pair of his touchdowns against Trae Waynes but is expected to be primarily matched up against Rhodes on Sunday. On the verge of being benched, opposing quarterbacks have completed 86% of their targets in Rhodes’ direction this season and after whatever happened on Monday, it doesn’t instill confidence to see Rhodes go up against a guy that’s already had success this season.
That doesn’t mean that the Vikings won’t have to worry about Golladay, either. The emerging star for Detroit caught four passes for 158 yards and a touchdown on Thanksgiving against the Chicago Bears and with Waynes ranking 14th in yards allowed (576) this season, there’s a good chance a big play is coming.
With Danny Amendola also racking up 105 yards in their first meeting, the Vikings secondary will need to tighten up even with Matthew Stafford on the sideline. For a unit that made Brandon Allen look competent, this will be a taller task than it appears.