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Five things to watch as NFC North champ Lions visit the Cowboys; plus prediction

While the Lions are the NFC North champs, now is no time to relax with the No. 2 seed on the line. If Detroit wins out they will be the second seed in the NFC.

First up, at the Dallas Cowboys who have been a perfect 7-0 at home this season and own a 10-5 record. The road warrior Lions (11-4)  are 6-2 away from Ford Field. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday – it’s basically Monday Night Football two days early.

“We’re a good road team and we feel good about (playing) pretty much anywhere. We went to Arrowhead earlier this year and won there and there are much harder atmospheres to play in than that. So, yeah, we feel good about going in anywhere and finding a way to win,’’ quarterback Jared Goff said.

Not only are the Cowboys perfect at home this season, but they are 15-1 at AT&T Stadium in the past two seasons.

“I think just – I think the comfort, the comfort of being there and to be able to function, particularly offensively, without the crowd noise,’’ coach Dan Campbell said. “There’s a number of things that they’re able to do – I feel like that opens up things they’re able to do because they don’t have to be on silent cadence, some of the verbal. I just – I think they take full advantage of being home, they do it well.’’

Five things to watch:

1. The Lions have improved their turnover ratio and that must continue. Goff did not throw an interception at the Vikings on Sunday. However, he must keep an eye on Cowboys CB DaRon Bland’s who has eight interceptions with five of those returned for touchdowns this season: “He’s played well, he’s made plays on the ball, he’s got great ball skills. And I think he’s got the NFL record, right, for most taken back? It’s incredible. It’s a good testament to what type of player he is and yeah, has great ball skills,’’ Goff said.

2. With a healthy offensive line, Goff is getting good protection. He was sacked just once in the 30-24 win over the Vikings. The Cowboys have sacked opposing quarterbacks just four times in the last four games — one in each. Detroit’s offensive line ranks fifth in the League in pass protection. 

3. The Lions defense held on to get the division-clinching win at Minnesota plus they had four interceptions and four sacks. Campbell has confidence they can get the job done again. “We talked about getting turnovers in bunches and there we go. And so, this has been the one thing that we’ve been missing and now it showed up. And I feel like it’s not going to go anywhere. I feel like those – between our safeties and our backers and (Brian) Branch, kind of that – man, we’re becoming very disruptive and we’re making a lot of plays,’’ the coach said. “Now, there’s some things in there that showed up. And look, (Vikings WR Justin Jefferson) 18 is what he is. He’s a hell of a receiver, but there’s a couple of things we can clean up on the coverage aspect. But as far as, man playing your keys, being where you need to be, making plays on the football, man we’re doing that and I feel like that’s here to stay.”

4. It’s key for the Lions to get off to a good start, just like most weeks. If the Lions fall too far behind it takes the running game out of the equation. “It goes without saying, you could say it every week, we have to get off to a fast start because that’s where this team excels,’’ Campbell said. “They get going and all of a sudden it snowballs and then you just can’t make up from the mistakes that you may have had earlier in the game.”

5. Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons can be a game-wrecker. He lines up on both sides so LT Taylor Decker and RT Penei Sewell will each get a shot at him, along with others. “I think (Sewell’s) the same guy every day. I’m sure he relishes this challenge as does Deck on the other side because, like I said, Micah is going to line up all over the place. He certainly loves this type of matchup because it allows him to showcase what he’s capable of,’’ Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said.

INJURIES: TE Brock Wright (hip) and DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson (pectoral) are out; CB Cam Sutton (toe) is questionable. FB Jason Cabinda was elevated from IR, then waived on Friday. 

PREDICTION: Lions 30, Cowboys 27. Call me crazy, but I think the Lions have it in them to get this one.

Lions Dan Campbell says next battle is fighting complacency to win No. 2 seed.

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions checked one box winning the NFC North division with the win over the Vikings on Christmas Eve.

It’s all good, the first division win in 30 years and  it results in, at the very least, a home playoff game.

However, the Lions are not done. If they win out -— at the Dallas Cowboys (10-5) on Saturday and hosting the Vikings (7-8) on Jan. 7 — they will be the No. 2 seed in the NFC.

“At this point now we’re fighting for the 2 seed, if you’re able to get to the one then so be it, but right now what we know we can achieve on our own is the two,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Tuesday. “That’s no easy task. We have to go to Dallas. They haven’t lost in I don’t know how many games at home.’’

The Cowboys are 7-0 at home this season and 15-1 in last two years. They are coming off two straight road losses — at Buffalo and at MIami.

“It will be loud, but we’re looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to going out there and playing a really good opponent at their place,’’ Campbell said.

The Lions have been road warriors this season with a 6-2 record in away games and 5-2 at home.

Campbell said the biggest opponent right now is satisfaction and complacency.

“That is what we’re going to fight from here on out. They’re going to know that, we’re going to have a meeting in a little bit and we’ve got smart guys, they understand that,’’ Campbell said.

The coach compared it to winning in the postseason.

“It’s really no different than what happens in the playoffs — you win a big game in the playoffs you don’t have time to really enjoy, you have to get ready for the next one,’’ Campbell said. “That’s where we’re at. It’s a great thing, I wish we had more time to enjoy it, but we don’t. We’re off to the next one. We have to want more, we’ve got to stay hungry or we won’t be able to get the next one.’’

INJURY UPDATE: Veteran defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson will practice for the second week, coming off IR. Campbell said they’ll see how he does this week before making a decision on if he will be play on Saturday. … LB James Houston, who is on IR, could start practicing this week but Campbell wouldn’t say it’s a certainty. They could wait another week on him.

Detroit Lions win NFC North title with 30-24 win at Vikings; first division crown in 30 years

After 30 fruitless seasons, the Detroit Lions wrapped up the best gift for long-suffering fans when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 30-24, on Christmas Eve to win the NFC North title.

It’s a holly, jolly holiday in Detroit.

With the win the Lions now own an 11-4 record with two games remaining. At the very least, they will host one playoff game, the first postseason contest at Ford Field.

It was an all-around team effort: 143 rushing yards, 246 passing yards, four touchdowns, four sacks, four interceptions and a partridge in a pear tree. 

“This is special, this is special. It’s something you don’t get to do all the time … To do something that hasn’t been done in 30 years for a team is special,’’ Campbell said.

He was wearing a black and blue “2023 NFC North Champions: It’s a Lock” T-shirt. The coach couldn’t say one word often enough.

“I’m pretty ecstatic, man. This is special, this is special. Like I said, it’s a special group. This is just the beginning, we feel that way,’’ Campbell said. “There again, I couldn’t be more proud of the guys.”

It was an up-and-down game. It felt like whoever had the ball last would win and that’s basically what happened when Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu intercepted Nick Mullens with 58 seconds left so the Lions could hold on to the 30-24 win.

The Lions were up 17-14 at the half, but gave up a touchdown to start the third quarter. Back and forth it went. Detroit led 30-21 early in the fourth quarter, but let the Vikings back in with a field goal.

“All of a sudden you’re at the end of this game and it’s just gone back and forth, but nobody got frazzled, nobody lost their cool,’’ Campbell said. “And when we needed it, in crunch times, we made plays. That’s what good teams do: They find ways to win the game instead of the other way. That’s not an easy thing to do, but when you’ve got the right guys who mesh together, work for each other and they care about each other. They’re accountable to each other, it makes a difference.’’

Five of the reasons the Lions won:

1. Jared Goff managed the game well. Came out with a 14-play touchdown drive and kept the game in-hand throughout. He spread the ball around to eight different pass-catchers. He finished 30-40, for 257 yards and a touchdown. No turnovers. “It’s emotional, but just the beginning for us,’’ Goff told the NFL Network. He got big help from the offensive line which Campbell called “outstanding.”

2. Win the turnover battle, and (usually) win the game. The Lions intercepted Mullens four times. While Jahmyr Gibbs did lose a fumble, the 4-1 turnover ratio was key to the win. Overall the defense played well but admittedly had trouble with wide receiver Justin Jefferson who finished with 141 receiving yards. The Lions double-teamed him, but still couldn’t stop him. Campbell kind of shrugged his shoulders when asked about Jefferson. “Winning the division, it’s our legacy now,’’ linebacker Alex Anzalone said. 

3. Again Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery rushed for a combined 13 yards Gibbs finished with two rushing TDs while Montgomery had one. They are a remarkable duo that opens up the offense and they are proving no game is too big for them. In 30 years they are without question the best running back duo the Lions have put on the field.

4. Safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, in his third straight start, saved the day by intercepting Nick Mullens when the Vikings were within striking range in the last minute. Along with the big pick, he also sacked Mullens twice. “He’s a factor, he’s just getting better and better,’’ Campbell said.

5. The Lions responded to the pressure of getting the title. They played their game and even the rookies – especially the rookies – contributed. Owner Sheila Ford Hamp joined the group in the locker room afterward. “The look on her face, the pure joy and happiness and watching the celebration with the coaches and the players and everybody, watching her interact. It feels good,’’ Campbell said. “I promised her we’d get her that, we did that. That’s one.’’

UP NEXT: Lions (11-4) at Dallas Cowboys, 8:15 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30.