Will Sunday’s game in Detroit be decided by the matchup between the Vikings’ rebuilt offensive line and the Lions’ formidable front four on defense?
That has to be at least a major storyline. The Lions dominated the Vikings’ offense in a 17-3 win in Minneapolis on October 12. The Vikings gave up a season high eight sacks in the game. Rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw three interceptions in his second career start and the Vikings were limited to 188 yards passing. Rookie running back Jerick McKinnon had a team best 40 yards and the Vikings totaled only 69 yards on the ground.
The Lions’ defense ranks second in the NFL giving up 295.7 yards per game. The rushing defense is No. l, yielding 62.8 yards per game.
When the two teams played in Minneapolis, the Vikings were without right guard Brandon Fusco—already out for the season because of a torn pectoral muscle. Since then the Vikings have also lost right tackle Phil Loadholt (another torn pectoral) and possibly left guard Charlie Johnson whose status for Sunday’s game is uncertain because of a sprained ankle. “It seems this year has been really unlucky for us,” Fusco told Sports Headliners. “We’ve had some key injuries.”
Mike Harris, who has replaced Loadholt, didn’t play against the Lions in October and watched from the sidelines. He realizes what he’s facing on Sunday, though. “I know it’s going to be a challenge for the offensive line,” he said. “They have a great front, a great defense, but I am up to the challenge.”
The Lions’ front four has much to do with Detroit having a 9-4 record and contending to win the NFC North. “They get off the ball fast,” Harris said. “They’re big and strong. This group that we have, we’re totally capable of getting the job done if we just use proper technique and match their intensity. That’s what it is going to come down to.”
The front four is led by defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Nick Fairley. “Suh and Fairley are no joke,” Fusco said. “They’re the best in the league and week in and week out they show that.”
Fusco admitted having a rebuilt line is challenging because players become accustomed to working with one another. They know each other’s tendencies, strengths and weaknesses—and learn how to play as a unit. “Communication is big. Playing with someone you’re used to, makes your job a lot easier,” Fusco said.
Fusco believes the Vikings’ offensive line can have success on Sunday. The linemen will study film and receive direction from offensive line coach Jeff Davidson. “Coach Davidson is a great coach,” Fusco said. “He’s gonna draw some good stuff up for us.”
Worth Noting
The Vikings are 69-35-2 all-time against the Lions—the most wins Minnesota has against another NFL team. Since 1996 there have been only two seasons the Lions won both regular season games against the Vikings. The Lions, long regarded as a dysfunctional franchise on and off the field, can sweep the season series from the Vikings on Sunday and no longer deserve to be labeled the “Motor City Kitties.”
The Vikings announced this morning they have signed tackle and Eden Prairie native Carter Bykowski to their practice squad. Linebacker Michael Mauti has been placed on the injured reserve list.
Blair Walsh, the Vikings field goal kicker, badly missed a late fourth quarter attempt that could have won the game against the Jets in regulation last Sunday inside cold and windy TCF Bank Stadium. He acknowledged that kicking outdoors this time of year can be “brutal” but wouldn’t offer the weather as an excuse. “You gotta perform outside,” he said.
Walsh, who lives in Boca Raton, Florida and attended the University of Georgia, expects 20 to 30 family members and friends at the Vikings game in Miami on December 21. His father has purchased tickets for the group. Walsh plans to have dinner with family and friends the night before the game.
Gophers teammate and point guard DeAndre Mathieu predicted center Mo Walker could be the Big Ten’s best low post scorer after Walker produced a career high 22 points in 23 minutes on Monday night when the Gophers defeated North Dakota 92-56. Walker, a senior, had 13 of Minnesota’s first 18 points less than six minutes into the game.
Mathieu wants the good-natured Walker to have an assertive approach on the court. “He’s getting a lot more mean,” Mathieu said. “When he gets his mean streak, then we’ll be a really, really good team.”
Mathieu, also a senior, had a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists on Monday night. That was the first double-double in those categories by a Gopher since Damian Johnson accomplished it in 2010.
Gophers coach Richard Pitino mentioned Walker and Mathieu as two of his most improved players since the start of the season—and both were major contributors last season. He said Walker, who has had past weight issues, is in “great shape” and described Mathieu’s assist to turnovers total as “phenomenal.” Mathieu has 54 assists and just 14 turnovers in nine games.
Former Apple Valley High School all-state point guard Tyus Jones has played a major role for Duke during his first weeks as a freshman leading the team on the floor. The now second ranked Blue Devils are 8-0 and Jones has turned heads including with his team-high 22 points, six rebounds, four assists game last week against then No. 2 Wisconsin in Madison. “He controlled that game,” said Al Nuness.
Nuness, a former Gophers guard and assistant coach, is Jones’ cousin. The two have been close for years and Jones refers to Nuness as his uncle. “You just can’t teach what he’s doing—running the offense like an upperclassman,” Nuness said. “That’s hard to do.”
Nuness said Jones is learning on defense. “I think he needs to improve the most (with) on-ball defense. He’s gotta recognize when a player is a little quicker than he is, that he needs to be like a half step further from him. He’s getting a little too close and that’s why they’re able…to get around him.”
Fans here had hoped Jones would play for Minnesota but Nuness doesn’t believe the Gophers’ style of play is best for Jones because his minutes would likely be more limited. “They play guards by committee at the University of Minnesota,” Nuness said. “They press, press, (and then) you’re tired, and you come out.”
Two other high profile Minnesota natives, Reid Travis and Rashad Vaughn, are also starting and excelling as college freshmen starters. Travis is fifth in scoring and third in rebounding for Stanford. Vaughn averages a team best 16.2 points per game for UNLV.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Wild traded a prospect or two to improve the club’s goaltending. Neither Darcy Kuemper, Niklas Backstrom nor Josh Harding have consistently shown they can claim the position that will be vital to how far the Wild advance in the playoffs.
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