The Detroit Lions (10-4) have a chance to lock up the NFC North for the first time in decades, but the Minnesota Vikings (7-7) will try to put those plans on hold when they host the division leader on Sunday.
The Lions looked like the dangerous team they were expected to be at the beginning of the season, as they thrashed the Denver Broncos 42-17 for their biggest win of the season.
Now, Detroit can not only secure its first playoff spot since 2016, but a win would clinch the division for the first time in 30 years.
Minnesota’s struggles continued last week as an overtime loss to the Cincinnati Bengals gave the Vikings their third loss in their last four games.
Luckily, Minnesota is still holding onto a playoff spot, but a loss could drop them out of the standings, making Sunday a big game for the home crowd.
The Vikings have not covered any of their last three games and Detroit seemed to return to form in a beatdown of the Broncos.
The formula for Detroit seems to be pretty straightforward:
early success rushing the ball leads to manageable distances on third downs, where the Vikings rank 23rd in the NFL in defensive third-down efficiency.
If the Detroit Lions team that showed up against Denver continues to play like that, it’s going to be tough to beat.
Minnesota’s offense continues to show flashes of potential, but it’s not able to keep up with the Lions as they win their first NFC North crown since 1993.
You can view the full list of USA TODAY’s NFL expert predictions here.
