Lions vs. Vikings: Analyst predicts secondary shuts down hot receiving duo

Despite struggling all season, one NFL.com analyst believes the Detroit Lions will shutdown the Minnesota Vikings’ dynamic receiving duo this Sunday.

Going into Sunday’s matchup against their divisional rivals, the 4-2 Minnesota Vikings, the 2-2-1 Detroit Lions‘ secondary faces their toughest test of the season. And that’s the talented young receiver duo of Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.

Last weekend, the Vikings put up a season-high 325 passing yards in a 38-20 victory over the 3-3 Philadelphia Eagles. Thielen recorded six catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. While Diggs racked up seven receptions for 167 yards and three scores.

Over the past two games, Thielen has posted a combined 13 receptions for 187 yards and three touchdowns. And Diggs’ three-score performance against the Eagles was a career-high. The fact is this dynamic duo is coming into Ford Field red hot.

As for the Lions passing defense, they’ve been anything but hot. Sure, Detroit has made some great individual defensive plays. A game-sealing interception by cornerback Darius Slay helped the Lions secure the victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week Two.

Fellow corner Rashaan Melvin did just enough in coverage to allow Philly wideout J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to drop a final pass on fourth down and 15. And it resulted in Detroit getting the win over the Eagles on the road in Week Three.

Despite those and other heroics, Detroit still allows an average of 280.0 passing yards per game to opposing offenses. There are only four other NFL teams that give up more. And the Lions’ average of 413.8 total yards allowed ranks the entire defense 29th in the league.

But these numbers just confirm something that fans already know. This is not a shutdown defense in the Motor City. This is a grind-it-out, try to beat both their opponents and the refs, bend-but-don’t-break defensive style. Based on the stats, many might believe the Vikings’ receivers will have a field day against Motown in Week Seven. But not so fast.

Here’s what former Pro Bowl cornerback-turned-writer for NFL.com DeAngelo Hall predicted about the Lions shutting down the Vikings’ top receiver duo this Sunday.

"“After some early frustration in Minnesota, receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen have picked up the pace over the last two weeks, with each player recording three receiving touchdowns in that span — two of only four players to do so in the league … Detroit’s defense comes in on a mission to stop the dynamic receiving duo — and they do, keeping Diggs and Thielen out of the end zone.”"

The Detroit Lions haven’t allowed a 100-yard performance from an opposing wide receiver since Week One (Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals). And they’ve only allowed six receiving touchdowns total in five games, blanking both the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers. So believe it or not, DeAngelo Hall‘s prediction could come true this Sunday. Although that wouldn’t guarantee a victory, it would certainly help.