When the Vikings have the ball
Just a few weeks after some very public discord amongst the Vikings’ three most important players in their passing offense, all seems to be well. Quarterback Kirk Cousins shouldered most of the blame for some blasé execution earlier in the year, and that may have sparked Minnesota’s offensive explosion over the past two games.
Cousins, despite some disheartening performances during his time with the Vikings, has always had a very good deep ball and it was on full display in their 38-20 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles last week. Receiver Stefon Diggs, who was rumored to be looking for a way out of Minnesota just weeks ago, was the recipient of several Cousins bombs on Sunday, totaling three touchdowns and over 160 yards through the air in a dominant performance.
He and Adam Thielen, who had a similarly spectacular performance the week before with two scores and 130 receiving yards, will be a serious handful for the Lions secondary. That group though, particularly the cornerbacks, has been a major bright spot for the Lions this season. Of them, Justin Coleman has been a revelation as a free agent acquisition, coming off of two excellent performances. Expect to see much of him up against both Thielen and Diggs, particularly when those two line up in the slot.
The Vikings also boast a dominant run game, led by third-year star tailback Dalvin Cook. Finally healthy, Cook ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yardage and rarely goes down upon first contact. He has reached the end zone in all but one game this season.
The Lions conversely, have been maddeningly disappointing defending the run, and haven’t had their full complement of defensive linemen available all season. Second-year 3-technique Da’Shawn Hand could make his season debut this Sunday, but regardless of how the front plays, the Lions will need strong performances at all three levels to slow down Cook.
The Vikings’ offensive line, long a team weakness, seems to be trending upward. Rookie center Garrett Bradbury is slowly improving after a rough NFL initiation, and Brian O’Neill is a rising talent at right tackle. The Lions, on the other hand, have just one sack over the last two games, and just 10 on the year as a team. This isn’t a sustainable rate, and they will have to find a way to generate more pressure on Cousins, or he could be in for another big day through the air.
The Lions have completely shifted their ability to force turnovers, currently tied for sixth in the league with 11 takeaways. Whether it’s punching the ball out of a running back’s hands, snagging interceptions or jarring the ball loose from punt and kick returners, it has been a major improvement on last year’s inability to get their offense extra snaps. More, please.