Coming off a big win in Week 2, here are three key matchups for the Detroit Lions in Week 3 against the division rival Minnesota Vikings.
A season ago, it took the Detroit Lions until Week 13 to claim their first win of the year. This year, win No. 1 for the year came Week 2, in a thrilling game against the Washington Commanders.
Now the focus shifts to the division rival Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. Last year Detroit split the season series with the Vikings, with both games ending on a game-winning score as time expired. In Week 5, Greg Joseph hit a 54-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 19-17 win. And in Week 13, every Lions fan remembers Amon-Ra St. Brown’s touchdown as time expired to lift Detroit to their first win under Dan Campbell.
This year, Minnesota shook things up. They fired Mike Zimmer and brought in Kevin O’Connell as the new head coach. Through two weeks Minnesota has had mixed results. In Week 1, they had very impressive first half and held on to beat the Green Bay Packers. Then in Week 2, they had a rough game against the Philadelphia Eagles and were beaten rather handily in hostile territory on Monday night.
With both of these NFC North teams sitting at 1-1 heading into this divisional clash, there is pressure on both sides to get a win. So who or what will be the difference maker on Sunday? Here are three key matchups to watch.
3 key matchups for the Detroit Lions vs. the Vikings in Week 3
Matchup No.1: Lions CB Jeff Okudah vs. Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
Heading into the season, there was a healthy amount of skepticism surrounding Jeff Okudah. Questions about whether or not he could become a competent starting corner, coming off a torn Achilles given his body of work in the NFL through two (albeit injury-filled) seasons had to be asked. Two weeks into the season, Okudah has looked the part. His place in the lineup is cemented to the point it’s noticeable when he comes off the field.
However, this week he faces his most difficult challenge in Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Through two weeks this season, Jefferson sits fifth in yards with 232 and tied for fifth in receptions with 15.
Jefferson has a rare blend of route running expertise, size, and speed that makes him a dynamic threat in the Vikings’ offense. Since Jefferson was drafted in 2020, he has played the Lions four times. In those four games he has averaged 7.5 receptions, 9.5 targets, and 125.8 yards per game. Detroit has typically tasked Amani Oruwariye with covering Jefferson, and it clearly has not worked. Oruwariye also missed last week’s game with a back injury and his status for this week is unclear, so it may be on Okudah to matchup with Jefferson.
Okudah will surely get some help on Jefferson. But there will be plenty of occassions he has to win on an island against one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and it will be in those moments we see how the third-year corner reacts. In the past, a big play or two has rattled Okudah. If he can keep his composure and stay disciplined on Sunday, it will go a long way toward keeping Jefferson in check.
Matchup 2: Lions LT Taylor Decker and RT Penei Sewell vs. Vikings DE Za’Darius Smith and DE Danielle Hunter
Through two weeks it’s been smooth sailing for the Lions’ tackles. Both Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker have been steady, as expected. This week they face a tougher challenge than either of the first two games this season, against the Vikings edge rusher duo Za’Darius Smith and Danielle Hunter.
Both of them were dominant in the season opener against the Packers. Against the Eagles, like the Lions before them, the Vikings struggled to contain Jalen Hurts. Hunter has a sack in each of first two games thus far, while Smith’s lone sack thus far this season came in Week 1 against his former team.
The book on Jared Goff is well-known–he generally struggles under pressure, providing takeaway opportunities for a defense. Decker and Sewell have to perform like they have in the first two games against Hunter and Smith on Sunday, and keep Goff clean to pick apart a Minnesota secondary that could be injury-thinned.
Matchup 3: Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. Vikings CB Chandon Sullivan
Amon-Ra St. Brown has been otherworldly over his last eight games. He tied an NFL record with his eighth straight game hauling in at least eight catches. He also set a new NFL record with six straight games producing at least eight catches and a touchdown. He is the unquestioned top receiver on this team, and probably the most important piece to this offense.
That run of games started the last time Detroit faced Minnesota in Week 13 last year. In that game, St. Brown hauled in 10 of 12 targets for 86 yards and the memorable game-winning touchdown. He has not slowed down since then, and he will look to keep the run going against the Vikings this week.
If the Vikings, led by slot corner Sullivan, can somehow stop St. Brown the Lions’ offense will be negatively impacted. We have yet to see Ben Johnson’s offense succeed without St. Brown being a major contributor.
Since Johnson took over as the pass game coordinator coming out of the bye week last season, Detroit has either heavily relied on St. Brown or been ineffective through the air. Goff will surely target St. Brown a lot again this week, and the Lions’ star wide receiver has an inherent talent advantage.