MINNEAPOLIS — The last game the Detroit Lions played in Minnesota was a triumphant visit, a six-point victory over the Vikings that sealed their first division title in 30 years.
When the Lions return to U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday, they'll find the Vikings sitting in their seat. Nothing is permanent with 12 weeks to go, of course, but the Lions are well into the thick of an intense competition for their NFC North crown.
“What a test we’re going to have this week,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “These guys are playing really good football.”
The same perspective applies to the Vikings, of course, coming out of their bye week at 5-0 as the only undefeated team in the NFC.
The Lions are 4-1 and five points from being unbeaten themselves, having sandwiched their bye in Week 5 with a pair of commanding wins and a combined 89 points. They ripped apart the Dallas Cowboys 47-9 on the road last week.
“With how well everybody’s playing in our division, these division games are going to be really important,” said Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, alluding to the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers being right on their heels at 4-2.
The Lions just posted their highest-scoring two-game stretch since 1962. They’ve also had at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing scores in consecutive games for the first time since 1962 and the third time in franchise history.
Their first three games were rather uneven. Then the roar of a balanced and potent offense was restored.
The Lions have teased their prolific passing attack with perhaps the best tandem of running backs in the league: David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Montgomery has at least 70 total yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown in each of his first five games, becoming the 10th player in NFL history to do so. Montgomery, who recently signed a contract extension, has also run over and through opponents in each of the last two weeks.
“If you look around the league at all the running backs, I don’t know if you’ll find one who’s playing better,” quarterback Jared Goff said. “It’s fun to have him on our team. And Gibbs is right there, too.”
Winning big
The Vikings have a plus-63 scoring differential, the best in the NFL with the Lions next at plus-60. This is Minnesota's largest cumulative margin of victory since finishing the 2009 season at plus-66.
Favorite foe
Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson has never been more dangerous than when he's facing the Lions, with 62 catches for 1,073 yards in just eight games. In his last three matchups, he has a whopping 29 receptions for 559 yards and two touchdowns.
If the Lions try to do more to take Jefferson away, the Vikings are fully confident in Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor and the rest of their receivers to find openings for Sam Darnold.
“We’re trying to create a world where teams decide however you want to defend us," O'Connell said, "and then it’s our job to try to, as coaches, give our guys a good plan so that all five eligible can come to life.”
Good company
Detroit’s pass defense has been much better than last season, and the two young safeties in the back have had plenty to do with the improvement defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn has directed.
Kerby Joseph, a steal of a selection at No. 97 overall in the third round of the 2022 draft, is the first NFL player with four interceptions in each of his first four seasons since Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed did it two decades ago.
Brian Branch, a second-round pick in the 2023 draft, is the first player since Reed in 2012 to have two interceptions and eight passes defended in the first four games of a season.
“They each play their own individual roles,” O’Connell said, “but there’s some versatility with both and I think they’re great communicators and really fit well with what A.G. wants to be doing defensively.”
Filling in
The Lions suffered a big loss last week when star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg. They'll depend even more on defensive tackle Alim McNeill to produce a pass rush. After matching his career high with two sacks against the Cowboys, the fourth-year player landed a four-year, $97 million contract earlier this week.
“He’s one of those guys we’re going to lean on,” Campbell said. “He doesn’t have to be Superman, but we’ve got to get that out of him every week, and he’s got that ability.”
The Lions were already thin at defensive end after signing former Vikings edge rusher Marcus Davenport and subsequently losing him to a season-ending elbow injury. The front took another hit last week when defensive tackle Kyle Peko suffered a season-ending pectoral injury.