At least a share of first place in the NFC North is on the line when the Detroit Lions travel to the Twin Cities to face the Minnesota Vikings in Week 3. It’s a critical game in a clustered division where all four teams boast 1-1 records after two weeks.
This road game will not be an easy one for head coach Dan Campbell’s Detroit team. The Lions haven’t won in Minnesota since 2017 and have dropped eight of the last nine matchups with the Vikings.
For Detroit to reverse the fate and seize some early divisional momentum, it’s going to take good execution and positional discipline. There are several key matchups and paths to victory for the Lions. Most of those lean on a few players having big games.
Here are four Lions who need to have strong outings for the team to win in Week 3.
CB Jeff Okudah
Okudah has been very good in coverage in the first two weeks. The third-year CB blanked Eagles WR Devonta Smith in Week 1 and did a fine job against Terry McLaurin in the Week 2 win over the Commanders. Those guys are talented, but they’re not Justin Jefferson.
The Vikings wideout has 15 receptions for 232 yards and two scores in the first two weeks. He’s one of the brightest young stars in the game, and Okudah figures to match up with him more often than not. Expecting a shutout against Jefferson is unrealistic, but if Okudah can keep Jefferson from going off it’s a huge boon.
Okudah has also excelled in run defense in the first couple of games. He cannot relent there against a Vikings team that blocks well on the outside, too.
TE T.J. Hockenson
It’s been a quiet start to the season for Hockenson. The Pro Bowler has caught just seven passes on 14 targets in the first two weeks, managing just 64 yards. Hockenson has dropped either two or three passes, depending on your source; three passes that have hit at least one of his hands have subsequently hit the ground.
The Lions need more from their tight end. Sure, the offense is sizzling in scoring at least 35 points three games in a row dating back to last season. But Hockenson offers Detroit the chance to exploit the middle of the field against a Vikings defense that got torched by Eagles TE Dallas Goedert in Week 2. The Vikings like to use their safeties to help on the outside and rely on linebackers to handle the tight ends. To be blunt, they couldn’t do it against Philadelphia and they don’t figure to do it well against Hockenson either.
This is a game where Hockenson can step up and ease some of the pressure from Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds in the passing game. A more consistent blocking performance from No. 88 would help as well.
LB Alex Anzalone
One of the ways the Minnesota offense thrives is by using RB Dalvin Cook as a dual-threat weapon. Much in the way the Lions deploy D’Andre Swift as both a runner and receiver, Cook is very dangerous when creatively used.
It’s been Anzalone who has handled the primary coverage duties on running backs as receivers in the first two games, not rookie LB Malcolm Rodriguez. Anzalone has fared decently in coverage, but finishing the play is a huge key. Cook is very good at forcing missed tackles, and Anzalone’s tackling remains questionable.
When the Vikings substitute Alexander Mattison in, there cannot be a letdown from Anzalone in run defense. Mattison slaughtered the Lions a year ago, rushing for over 200 yards and catching all 10 passes thrown his way in the two meetings. Much of that production came at Anzalone’s expense–at least partially. That cannot happen on Sunday if the Lions hope to contain the Vikings attack.
LT Taylor Decker
Decker has been strong in the first two weeks, a bedrock amongst the tumult of the injuries around the offensive line. Zero sacks, zero penalties, more than a short stack of pancakes in the run game — Decker has played quite well so far.
The Vikings, like the Lions, aren’t afraid to flip their EDGE rushers. And they’ve got a talented pair in ZaDarius Smith and Danielle Hunter. Decker has had his struggles over the years with Hunter, who has a great first step and a variety of quick countermoves. Smith is coming off a great game (one sack, five QB hurries) against a very good Eagles offensive line and he did most of that damage attacking LT Jordan Mailata. If Decker, and also RT Penei Sewell, can’t keep QB Jared Goff breathing easy in the pocket, it’s apt to be a long day for Detroit.
