Lions at Vikings
The Detroit Lions are trying to climb out of an early-season hole while the Minnesota Vikings are attempting to keep from falling into one after enjoying some early-season success. The Lions can move into a tie with the Vikings in the NFC North when they visit reeling Minnesota on Sunday. Detroit has won two straight and three of four since a 20-13 home loss to the Vikings on Sept. 30 left the team at 1-3 and mired in a three-game losing streak. Conversely, Minnesota has seen a promising 4-1 start unravel with three losses in its last four games, including back-to-back defeats to Tampa Bay and Seattle in which the Vikings have surrendered a combined 76 points.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Lions -2, O/U 47
ABOUT THE LIONS (4-4): Detroit finally got its running game untracked in last week's dominating 31-14 win at Jacksonville. Mikel Leshoure, who was limited to 26 yards on 13 carries in the first meeting with the Vikings, rushed for three first-half touchdowns and finished with 70 yards on 16 carries. Backfield mate Joique Bell tacked on 73 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries as the Lions jumped out to a 24-0 lead and held the ball for 35 1/2 minutes. Matt Stafford failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time since the Week 4 matchup with the Vikings, but he connected with Calvin Johnson seven times for 129 yards. Johnson has found the end zone only once, but he scored twice at Minnesota last season.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (5-4): Minnesota's offense continues to go sideways after Christian Ponder threw for only 63 yards and an interception in last week's 30-20 loss in Seattle. The second-year quarterback has been intercepted seven times in his last four games and threw for only 111 yards in the earlier win over the Lions. Minnesota prevailed in that matchup by getting a 105-yard kickoff return from Percy Harvin and a 77-yard punt return for a score by Marcus Sherels. Running back Adrian Peterson rambled for 182 yards and two scores against the Seahawks and leads the league in rushing with 957 yards. Harvin, who leads the league with 62 catches, did not practice all week and is expected to be a game-time decision due to an ankle injury.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Peterson has rushed for 458 yards and four touchdowns in his last three games.
2. Detroit won both meetings last season, including an overtime victory in Minnesota.
3. Stafford became the second-fastest quarterback to 10,000 yards last week, hitting the milestone in his 37th game. Kurt Warner did it in 36 games.