Lions at Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings were the talk of the league through the first month of the season, rattling off five consecutive wins and owning the only perfect record in the NFL. Then came the bye week and the Vikings haven't been the same, dropping consecutive games on the road entering Sunday's clash against the visiting Detroit Lions.
Minnesota scored only 10 points in each of its last two defeats and was rocked this week by the announcement that offensive coordinator Norv Turner resigned immediately. "He decided it was in his best interest to do this and I accept the reasons, and they are personal, and I won't get into the reasons of why he did," said head coach Mike Zimmer, who tabbed Pat Shurmur as Turner's replacement. The Lions rebounded from a three-game skid and surge back into the division race with three straight wins -- by a total of seven points. That moment came to a halt in a 20-13 loss at Houston last week that dropped Detroit back to the .500 mark.
TV: 1 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Vikings -5.5. O/U: 41
ABOUT THE LIONS (4-4): Detroit's defense absorbed a blow as pass-rushing outside linebacker Armonty Bryant received a three-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Bryant sat out the first four games of the season for a similar violation and was subsequently waived by Cleveland before he was picked up by Detroit. Bryant was productive in his brief stint with the Lions, recording three sacks in four games after collecting 5.5 in 14 games with the Browns last season. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has nine touchdowns and zero interceptions over the past four games and owns a career-best 103.4 passer rating.
ABOUT THE VIKINGS (5-2): Bereft of a running game, quarterback Sam Bradford has been under siege in the losses at Philadelphia and Chicago, getting sacked a total of 11 times. There is the hope that things will change with the promotion of Shurmur, who was the offensive coordinator for both the Eagles and Rams when Bradford played for each team. "I think it helps," Shurmur said Thursday. "Anytime you have a relationship with someone, you can communicate smoother and quicker, so I think that certainly helps." Minnesota is ranked 31st in rushing at a paltry 71.9 yards per game, but its defense is permitting a league-low 14.9 points.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Bradford is averaging 273 yards per game with five touchdowns and zero interceptions in four home games.
2. Stafford was sacked seven times in the last meeting by Minnesota, which swept the season series a year ago.
3. Vikings DE Everson Griffen has 7.5 sacks in the last seven meetings against Detroit.