5 Bold Predictions: Minnesota Vikings vs. Detroit Lions – Week 9
By Chris Schad
Can the Minnesota Vikings climb back into the NFC North race against the Detroit Lions?
The Minnesota Vikings showed signs of life last week. Thought to be a team that was on the verge of tanking for Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields, the Vikings showed they shouldn’t be left for dead with a 28-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers.
The win gives Minnesota a sign of life heading into another big divisional game against the Detroit Lions. With the Vikings still in last place in the NFC North, the second leg of a three-game divisional tour features a matchup against a Lions team that is 3-4, but also could be missing Matthew Stafford, who was placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Wednesday.
This brings the question of whether or not Minnesota can somehow get back into the divisional race. The Packers have recently shown chinks in their armor while the Chicago Bears seem like a team that’s winning games by the skin of their teeth.
A win over Detroit isn’t a “Hello, world!” victory, but would at least give Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer some validation on what he’s doing.
Let’s dive deeper into how Minnesota looks heading into Sunday’s game and predict if they can pick up another big win over the Lions in Week 9.