The Minnesota Vikings are set to take on the Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve in the second-annual winter whiteout.
It’s a pivotal game for both teams. If the Vikings win, they are one step closer to clinching a playoff spot and will stay alive in the NFC North race. For the Lions, they just need one win to clinch their first division title since the 1993 season when it was the NFC Central.
Heading into the crucial matchups, we made five bold predictions for the first Vikings vs. Lions game of the season.
Nick Mullens doesn't turn the ball over
One of the things you have to live with when Mullens is the quarterback is a little bit of the gunslinger bozo gene. He will make throws that will make you want to pull your hair out. In turn, he will make some big time throws that can change the game for a positive.
One of the things that can help a player like Mullens is playing time. Seeing the mistakes that were made and fixing it moving forward is sometimes all that you need. With his back injury having kept him from getting any reps, the last week of reps can make a massive difference.
Vikings defense shut out Jameson WIlliams
Williams will forever be tied with the Vikings due to the draft day trade made with the Lions that propelled them up to 12 to select the Alabama product. What he hasn’t done is figure out how to make a substantial impact.
So far in his career, Willimas only has 18 receptions for 283 yards and three touchdowns. He has amassed four or more receptions one time (4/47 yards last week) and has been shut out in seven of his 16 career games. The Vikings’ pass defense will be prepared for Williams and likely make it a priority to shut him out.
Ty Chandler runs for 100+ yards
Chander burst onto the national scene with a breakout performance against the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, running for over 100 yards and a touchdown. Against the Lions, look for Chandler to do it again.
The Lions’ defense is 18th overall in yards allowed but eighth in rush defense. A lot of that is due to the offense scoring a lot of points and forcing their opponents to throw the football. If defensive tackle Alim McNeil is unable to return this week, Chandler could be in for another big day.
Jordan Addison out produces Justin Jefferson again
Is Addison better than Jefferson? No, he isn’t. What Addison is doing currently is taking advantage of Jefferson on the field at the same time.
When Jefferson was out for seven games, Addison was the top receiving option on the outside. He was dealing with the top cornerback from each team and grew considerably during that time. This past week, Addison caught six passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns, proving that he is the complement to Jefferson that the Vikings were looking for. Look for the Lions to try and take Jefferson out of the game and Addison will be primed to step up.
Jared Goff commits 2+ turnovers
The first time teams see the Vikings’ defense usually results in struggles. Now, some teams have been able to figure it out later on in the game as the Bengals did on Saturday afternoon. The Lions will be facing this defense for the first time and it could spell issues for Goff.
This season, Goff has turned the ball over multiple times in four games with three of them coming against division rivals. The Vikings are a very aggressive team that loves to attack the football and Goff could be in trouble come Sunday.
