The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings square off for the second time this season and on Turkey Day for the second consecutive year.
Minnesota Vikings (8-2) at Detroit Lions (6-4)
History
- Lions in position to sweep series for the second straight year and third time in four seasons as these longtime rivals meet on Thanksgiving Day for second consecutive year.
- Eight weeks ago at Minnesota (Week 4), Lions came away with a 14-7 win.
- Lions have won 3 straight and are 9-5 in teams’ last 14 meetings dating back to club’s second meeting in ’10 (Vikings managed 16-1 mark in 17 previous meetings dating back to ’02).
- Vikings 1-3 in last 4 road tilts in series dating back to ’13.
Vikings By The Numbers
- Defeated Rams, 24-7, in Week 11.
- 8-2 record in ‘17 (8-8 in ‘16).
- Won six straight games (opened 2-2 in ’17).
- Won three straight road games.
- QB Case Keenum: 68.0 completion percentage (136-of-200), nine TD passes, five INT, sacked one time in last six games (five starts) dating back to Week 5 of 17.
- 9-6 record vs. NFC North rivals dating back to ‘15 (4-5 dating back to ‘16).
- Scored 241 points, 25 offensive TD in 10 games in ’17 (scored 327 points, 29 offensive TD in ’16).
- 1,233 rushing yards (123.3 YPG) in 10 games in ’17; NFL-low 1,205 rushing yards (75.3 YPG) in ’16.
- Allowed 10 TD passes in 10 games in ’17 (allowed 22 TD passes in ’16).
- 12 takeaways in 10 games in ‘17 (27 takeaways in ’16).
- Allowed 777 rushing yards in nine games in ’17 (77.7 YPG); allowed 1,322 rushing yards in last 11 games of ‘16 (120.2 YPG).
Lions By The Numbers
- Defeated Bears, 27-24, in Week 11.
- Won three straight games (opened 3-4 in ’17).
- 37-38-2 lifetime on Thanksgiving Day (won four straight games dating back to ’13).
- Allowed 234 points in 10 games in ‘17 (allowed 358 points in ’16).
- QB Matthew Stafford: 43 TD passes, 15 INT in last 26 regular season games dating back to ‘16.
- 19 takeaways in 10 games in ’17 (14 takeaways in ‘16).
- Allowed 12 TD passes in 10 games in ’17 (allowed 33 TD passes in ’16).
- Including playoffs, 15 wins by combined 108 points, 12 losses by combined 103 points in 24 games dating back to ’16.
Things To Look For
This could be quite the shootout between a pair of hot quarterbacks. Of course, the Minnesota Vikings have the big edge when it comes to the defensive side of the ball and the Detroit Lions’ offensive line must come up big to keep Stafford out of harm’s way. Elsewhere, Jim Caldwell’s squad will be hard-pressed to stop the Purple Gang’s suddenly-balanced attack. It’s a hot team vs. an even hotter club with a lot on the line when it comes to the NFC North.
