Post by Danchat on Dec 6, 2019 22:11:02 GMT -6
The Vikings will face a Lions fan that is a shell of the version that the Vikings faced Week 7. There isn't much to say about this matchup, as the Lions need to keep losing to get a higher draft pick and the Vikings need the win to stay ahead of the Rams and Bears in the wildcard run.
* My thoughts *
There isn't a ton of new ground to cover here as compared to our last matchup against the Lions. Since the Week 7 showdown, the Lions have been nailed by injuries and have lost 5 games in a row. The new QB of the Lions is David Blough, a UDFA who started the season as the 3rd string QB. Blough wasn't considered much of a prospect, but he looked decent against the Bears last week. He has the potential to become a long-term backup QB... but so far, backup QBs have been kryptonite to the Vikings defense. They will also be missing talented young'uns in HB Kerryon Johnson and TE T. J. Hockenson, who are both on the IR. The Lions have used 2nd year 7th rounder Bo Scarbrough as their main HB, but I think the Vikings will be able to limit him despite how Seattle moved the ball all over them. TE Jesse James and Logan Thomas are big-bodied blockers who aren't threats in the passing game.
The Lions have showed some promise in the passing game this season, with their O-line taking a step forward and the WRs playing well. 2nd year 1st rounder C Frank Ragnow is in PFF's top 5, grading out as the NFL's best run-blocking center. Guards Dahl and Glasgow are quality players, with Dahl being a great pass blocker and Glasgow being a great run blocker. LT Taylor Decker is having a bounce-back year, but unfortunately, RT Ricky Wagner is having a career worst season. The O-line's pass blocking has allowed for Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones to get open and wreck havoc on unsuspecting defenses. Danny Amendola is a quality 3rd WR, but if any of them get hurt, they only have a single WR backing all of them up. The Vikings don't have a CB who can cover Golladay or Jones 1-on-1, so it will be imperative to get pressure on Blough before he can throw to his WRs.
You wouldn't be able to tell that the Lions' head coach is a defensive mind, since the group has been simply abysmal thus far. The one positive is that DEs Devon Kennard and Trey Flowers both have 6 sacks and have had very strong seasons. Meanwhile the rest of the front seven has fallen apart - DT Snacks Harrison is having his worst season his since rookie year (2012), Mike Daniels and Da'Shawn Hand have been banged up and ineffective when on the field, and A'Shawn Robinson is also having an exceptionally poor season despite being near-elite last season. The linebackers are even worse - there may not be a worse LB duo outside of Jarrad Davis and Christian Jones in the NFL (maybe Jacksonville without Myles Jack). Thankfully, 2nd round rookie Jahlani Tavai is getting more run and is playing well. Jones and Davis are bottom 10 covering LBs according to PFF, so the offense should make sure to pepper our HBs and TEs with targets.
Even the secondary is falling apart. Darius Slay is no longer playing like a #1 lockdown CB, Justin Coleman was playing lights-out in the first half of the season, but has suddenly regressed and has been very poor in coverage lately, and Rashaan Melvin has been mediocre (though that's his usual track record). They've started to mix in 5th rookie Amani Oruwariye, of whom I had a 2nd round prospect. He's played well so far. The Lions also traded SS Quandre Diggs away and he's improved since landing in Seattle. They'll use 3 safeties at times, with Walker and Wilson being decent players. Rookie Will Harris is a part of that rotation, but has ranked among the league's worst safeties.
Prediction: Vikings 35, Lions 24
The Lions' defense simply doesn't have what it takes to stop Dalvin Cook and Kirk Cousins. Their front seven is falling apart, their secondary has regressed, and it's abundantly clear Matt Patricia has no freaking idea what he's doing. The team is injured and has given up on him... the Lions are basically repeating the 2018 season again except with no Matthew Stafford at this point. I could see Blough and the WRs putting up some points on the Vikings' anemic secondary, but I expect the defense to improve since it's a home game and the offense should eat up the time of possession.
Any thoughts?
Vikings
WR Thielen Doubtful
LT Reiff Questionable
Lions
DE Da'Shawn Hand Out
QB Matthew Stafford Out
DE Austin Bryant Doubtful
CB Jamal Agnew Questionable
CB Rashaan Melvin Questionable
WR Thielen Doubtful
LT Reiff Questionable
Lions
DE Da'Shawn Hand Out
QB Matthew Stafford Out
DE Austin Bryant Doubtful
CB Jamal Agnew Questionable
CB Rashaan Melvin Questionable
* My thoughts *
There isn't a ton of new ground to cover here as compared to our last matchup against the Lions. Since the Week 7 showdown, the Lions have been nailed by injuries and have lost 5 games in a row. The new QB of the Lions is David Blough, a UDFA who started the season as the 3rd string QB. Blough wasn't considered much of a prospect, but he looked decent against the Bears last week. He has the potential to become a long-term backup QB... but so far, backup QBs have been kryptonite to the Vikings defense. They will also be missing talented young'uns in HB Kerryon Johnson and TE T. J. Hockenson, who are both on the IR. The Lions have used 2nd year 7th rounder Bo Scarbrough as their main HB, but I think the Vikings will be able to limit him despite how Seattle moved the ball all over them. TE Jesse James and Logan Thomas are big-bodied blockers who aren't threats in the passing game.
The Lions have showed some promise in the passing game this season, with their O-line taking a step forward and the WRs playing well. 2nd year 1st rounder C Frank Ragnow is in PFF's top 5, grading out as the NFL's best run-blocking center. Guards Dahl and Glasgow are quality players, with Dahl being a great pass blocker and Glasgow being a great run blocker. LT Taylor Decker is having a bounce-back year, but unfortunately, RT Ricky Wagner is having a career worst season. The O-line's pass blocking has allowed for Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones to get open and wreck havoc on unsuspecting defenses. Danny Amendola is a quality 3rd WR, but if any of them get hurt, they only have a single WR backing all of them up. The Vikings don't have a CB who can cover Golladay or Jones 1-on-1, so it will be imperative to get pressure on Blough before he can throw to his WRs.
You wouldn't be able to tell that the Lions' head coach is a defensive mind, since the group has been simply abysmal thus far. The one positive is that DEs Devon Kennard and Trey Flowers both have 6 sacks and have had very strong seasons. Meanwhile the rest of the front seven has fallen apart - DT Snacks Harrison is having his worst season his since rookie year (2012), Mike Daniels and Da'Shawn Hand have been banged up and ineffective when on the field, and A'Shawn Robinson is also having an exceptionally poor season despite being near-elite last season. The linebackers are even worse - there may not be a worse LB duo outside of Jarrad Davis and Christian Jones in the NFL (maybe Jacksonville without Myles Jack). Thankfully, 2nd round rookie Jahlani Tavai is getting more run and is playing well. Jones and Davis are bottom 10 covering LBs according to PFF, so the offense should make sure to pepper our HBs and TEs with targets.
Even the secondary is falling apart. Darius Slay is no longer playing like a #1 lockdown CB, Justin Coleman was playing lights-out in the first half of the season, but has suddenly regressed and has been very poor in coverage lately, and Rashaan Melvin has been mediocre (though that's his usual track record). They've started to mix in 5th rookie Amani Oruwariye, of whom I had a 2nd round prospect. He's played well so far. The Lions also traded SS Quandre Diggs away and he's improved since landing in Seattle. They'll use 3 safeties at times, with Walker and Wilson being decent players. Rookie Will Harris is a part of that rotation, but has ranked among the league's worst safeties.
Prediction: Vikings 35, Lions 24
The Lions' defense simply doesn't have what it takes to stop Dalvin Cook and Kirk Cousins. Their front seven is falling apart, their secondary has regressed, and it's abundantly clear Matt Patricia has no freaking idea what he's doing. The team is injured and has given up on him... the Lions are basically repeating the 2018 season again except with no Matthew Stafford at this point. I could see Blough and the WRs putting up some points on the Vikings' anemic secondary, but I expect the defense to improve since it's a home game and the offense should eat up the time of possession.
Any thoughts?
... and neither is this Chris guy.