The Detroit Lions have to be in a good mood as they return from their bye week on Monday afternoon. While the Pittsburgh Steelers couldn’t help them climb to the top of the NFC North after losing to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night, Detroit is in the thick of the NFC standings with a 5-2 record and is in the mix for a third straight division title as they head to the midway point of this season.
Another thing that could be adding to the vibes is the condition of their Week 9 opponent, the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions' biggest competition in the division a year ago, Minnesota, has stumbled out of the gate with a 3-4 record in its first seven games and has to go on the road to face Dan Campbell’s squad at Ford Field in Week 9.
If that wasn’t enough to have the Lions licking their chops, ESPN’s Kevin Seifert added that quarterback Carson Wentz, tight end Josh Oliver, and edge rusher Jonathan Greenard were not seen during Monday’s practice that was open to the media, leaving Detroit in a smash spot ahead of their Week 9 matchup.
Vikings Injury Concerns Mount Ahead of Matchup with Lions
This is the first practice of the week, and the Vikings could be letting their veterans get an extra day of rest before ramping things up on Wednesday. But if Wentz, Oliver, and Greenard can’t go, it could give the Lions an even bigger advantage on Sunday afternoon.
Oliver is the Vikings' top run-blocking tight end on the team and has shown some receiving chops with five catches for 61 yards and a pair of touchdowns over the first seven games. Losing Oliver would handcuff a rushing offense that has averaged 93.9 yards per game (26th) and faces a Lions defense that allows 87.7 rushing yards per game and ranks fourth in the NFL.
Greenard is also an important name to keep an eye on as the Vikings’ pass-rush doesn’t have the same juice it had a year ago. According to Pro Football Focus, Greenard leads the charge with 30 pressures and two sacks this season, but the team has been lacking with Dallas Turner struggling and Andrew Van Ginkel missing most of the season with a neck injury.
Then there’s the quarterback position, which has put the Vikings in a world of trouble. J.J. McCarthy suffered a high ankle sprain in a Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, but he struggled before that, completing 24-of-41 passes (58.5%) for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported McCarthy is expected to return for Sunday’s game against the Lions. But if Wentz can’t go, it would leave UDFA Max Brosmer as the backup quarterback.
This doesn’t even mention the fact that McCarthy will be making his first start in two months and his third overall start in front of a Ford Field crowd that has become one of the toughest environments in the NFL.
With the Lions aiming toward bigger things, it’s not a surprise that Detroit enters Sunday as 8.5-point favorites according to FanDuel Sportsbook, and things could get easier for the Lions if the Vikings don’t recover from their rash of injuries.
DISCLAIMER: Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.