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Five things to watch as Lions look to take NFC North title with win over Vikings; plus prediction

The Detroit Lions’ goal of winning the NFC North title is within reach and will become a reality with a win on Sunday at the Minnesota Vikings.

It would be their first division title since Jan. 2, 1994, and guarantee a home playoff game. It’s a present that can’t be wrapped and put under the tree. It would be everything to coach Dan Campbell, his staff, the players and actually the entire city of Detroit that has been hoping for a winner.

“We are a young team and most of these guys weren’t born the last time we won a division,’’ Campbell said. “I think they also understand how special it would be. You’re telling me we could be a division winner for the first time in 30 years for an organization, that’s special. Whatever perspective you take, it’s still special. That’s the message and they understand that.’’

Quarterback Jared Goff said they have to concentrate on the game at hand against a team that has lost three of its last four games, the last one in overtime to the Bengals.

“A win gets us the division and we understand, we understand, we get it. I think I’ve said this before, but we don’t carry the weight of the last 30 years here, we don’t. It’s the 2023 Lions and we’re different than last year’s team and the year before and 30 years before that,’’ Goff said. “So, we’re trying to make our mark this year and we have a chance to do it this week. But yeah, it’s been a long season, we’ve had some success and hopefully can get it done.”

The Lions (10-4) , who haven’t made a postseason appearance since 2016,  have lost nine straight playoff games going back to the 1991 season. Their last playoff win was on Jan. 5, 1992. It’s pathetic  to say the least.

Detroit will face the Vikings (7-7) again in the season finale on Jan. 7. In-between they play at the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, Dec. 30. Sunday is not their only shot to win the division, but it is a good one. They just have to win it.

Five things to watch:

1. Once again Jared Goff needs to step up. He had five touchdowns against zero picks last week in the win over the Broncos. It’s an awesome ratio. Can’t expect those numbers every week but something in that range would help a lot. Campbell said his message to Goff this week is to continue to let it fly. Look for the speedy Jameson Williams to see more action, 

2. The Lions must deal with the Vikings defense which is either max coverage or max pressure. “A lot of teams do that down in the red zone, but (Vikings defensive coordinator Brian) Flores has kind of taken that to a new extreme. At any time, at any moment. It’s been fun this week trying to dissect their defense. They do a lot and it’s hard, but our staff’s done a nice job trying to narrow down some things that we can key in on potentially, but he’s got a new wrinkle each and every week that we’ll have to be able to adjust to,’’ offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said.

3. Last year Vikings WR Justin Jefferson had a career-high 223-yard game against the Lions. “After missing eight games this year, he returned last week and is still getting his footing. “There’s nothing easy about it,’’ Campbell said. “I mean, I think – I know this, we can’t let him have 200 yards again. I mean, that’s the most obvious. So, we’re going to have to have some answers. He’s getting back in the flow. The other day he’s – you can start to see that he’s getting back and he’s going to be even better this week.’’ Minnesota QB Nick Mullens is expected to make his second straight start.

4. Get off to a good start so running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery can keep getting touches. “I mean (Gibbs has) been electric really since he stepped on the field for us. I don’t know if I’ve necessarily seen anything out of the ordinary. I know he had the one 30-yard run last week, but I don’t think any of us were surprised by it,’’ Johnson said. Vikings 13th against the run  (giving up 98.6 yards per game) while the LIons have the second-best rushing game in the NFL averaging 140.9 yards per game. Here’s a fun stat: Montgomery and Gibbs each have two 20-yard touchdown rushes this season. The last time the Lions had two players with multiple 20-yard touchdown rushes in a season was in 1936 with Hall of Famer Dutch Clark and Ernie Caddel. And here’s another one: The Vikings have allowed just one run of 20-plus yards all season. 

5. Lions can’t let pressure get to them and it doesn’t seem likely. While last week the key word is urgency Goff said it really hasn’t changed. “Still urgent, still understanding what our goal is, what our mission is and not much has changed,’’ Goff said. “I think last week – it’s not the worst thing in the world to sometimes get your ass kicked a little bit like we did in Chicago. So, it created that and it continues on.”

INJURIES: DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson (pectoral), FB Jason Cabinda (knee), CB Jerry Jacobs (hamstring), TE Brock Wright (hip) are out; LB Derrick Barnes (shoulder) is doubtful.

PREDICTION: Lions 27, Vikings 17. Winning the division has been the goal since Day One of training camp. Can’t see Detroit letting the opportunity slip away.

Lions Dan Campbell on his continuing message to Jared Goff: Cut it loose

ALLEN PARK — Lions quarterback Jared Goff, coming off a 5-touchdown game in the win over the Broncos, will face new challenges against a tough Vikings (7-7) defense on Sunday. With a win, the Lions (10-4) would capture the NFC North title. 

Coach Dan Campbell said his message to Goff this week is the same. The coach is not bothered by the fact that six of Goff’s 10 interceptions have come against NFC North opponents. He doesn’t blame Goff completely for the turnovers.

“He’s done a good job and I think really the most important thing is, cut it loose. That’s the message, it’s not the other way,’’ Campbell said on Wednesday. “I go back to this, he’s one of the biggest reasons we’re sitting at 10-4. Right now it’s him playing loose and trust what your eyes see, play the progression and throw with conviction.’’

Campbell said it doesn’t mean bad things won’t happen if Goff lets it fly, but then they have to find a way to overcome it.

“We sure don’t want him tightening up and worrying about all of that. Just go out like he did last week, put the work in and cut it loose,’’ the coach said.

Goff ranks third in the NFL with most 20-plus yard passes with 59 – behind Brock Purdy and C.J. Stroud. He also ranks third in most 20-plus yard touchdown passes with 11, behind Tua Tagovailoa and Purdy who each have a dozen.

His five touchdown passes last week matches the franchise record and his own single-game career high. 

“That’s the farthest thing we’re from here is conservative and Dan sets the tone on that certainly for our whole team and his attitude,’’ Goff said. “We follow suit.”

In Week 15, Goff surpassed 25 passing touchdowns on the season becoming the first player in franchise history to throw for at least 25 touchdowns in consecutive seasons. He had 29 in the 2022 season.

Seahawks’ win over Eagles forces Lions to wait to clinch a playoff berth

Thanks to a last-minute Seattle Seahawks’ game-winning touchdown, the Detroit Lions will have to wait to clinch a playoff berth which would be their first since 2016. The Seahawks topped the Philadelphia Eagles, 20-17, on Monday night. It was the third straight loss for the Eagles (10-4).

The Lions (10-4) have three games left to solidify the NFC North title which has been their goal since the season started.

“We came into this saying we have got to win this division, that’s the goal, that’s what it is,’’ coach Dan Campbell said on Monday afternoon. “If something happens between now and then, hey that’s all good, but that is our focus.

“We talked about that this morning as a team. That was the focus when we entered it and that’s still the focus. We’re going to do everything we can to win this division and there’s nothing that’s going to be easy about it. We have to go out to Minneapolis and face the Vikings who are a very dangerous team and find a way to win it and get this division,’’ the coach added.

First the Lions play at the Minnesota Vikings (7-7) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Then they will face the Dallas Cowboys (10-4), who got rolled by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, at 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30. Then to wrap up the regular season they play the Vikings at Ford Field on Jan. 7.

The last time the Lions won a playoff game was Jan. 5, 1992, when they beat the Dallas Cowboys 38-6. Erik Kramer threw three touchdown passes, Barry Sanders scampered 47 yards for a touchdown and Cowboys’ QB Troy Aikman was sacked 3 times and threw an interception.

The Lions thought it was their year, but lost 41-10 at the Washington then-Redskins in the NFC Championship game when Sanders was held to 44 yards rushing. Kramer threw one touchdown, was intercepted once and fumbled three times (losing one). 

Since then the Lions have lost nine playoff games dating back to the 1991 playoffs. Eight of those have been on the road. They lost, 28-24, to the Green Bay Packers at the Silverdome in the 1993 playoffs. In that one Sanders had 169 rushing yards.