The Athletic Has No Faith in Vikings Catching Lions in NFC North

By Ted Schwerzler |

Updated: Dec 2, 2024

Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions — Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Minnesota picked up another win on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. Kevin O’Connell has now coached his team to ten of them. That’s just one fewer than the division-leading Detroit Lions. That doesn’t mean prominent voices believe there isn’t a sizable gap between the two teams.

Are the Minnesota Vikings really not in the Detroit Lions tier?

Through their first 12 games of the season, the Minnesota Vikings are 10-2. The losses came against the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Rams. The divisional loss was by just two points, and the Vikings have gone on a second five-game winning streak in the weeks since. The Athletic doesn’t see Minnesota in the same class as Dan Campbell’s team though, and they went as far as suggesting it won’t be a real matchup between the teams to end the year.

“They’re well-coached, tough, really good on defense and have skill players who shine in clutch moments, which is a pretty nice recipe for going 7-1 in one-possession games. We’re about to get a really good read on the Vikings’ playoff chances, as they close the season against the Seahawks, Packers and Lions, although Detroit might be in position to spoil a fun matchup by resting its starters.”
Minnesota Vikings playoff perspectives (The Athletic)

Any suggestion that a Week 18 matchup won’t include starters suggests that Minnesota and Detroit will end the regular season on different notes. With the teams separated by just a single game currently, the Lions would need to win in order to create a tie atop the division. Apparently the Vikings remaining schedule doesn’t sit well with Jeff Howe and Austin Mock.

Before the year started it was the early-season slate that was considered a gauntlet for Minnesota. Despite handling each of those opponents, the narrative has now flipped with the final weeks being checked off.

Minnesota and Detroit tale of the tape

Detroit hosts games against good teams the next two weeks. Despite being at Ford Field, it’s conceivable that they lose to both the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills. Road games against Chicago and San Francisco shouldn’t provide much of a threat, but that lines up a final date with the Vikings.

This play is crazy @jongreenard7 🤣pic.twitter.com/HY8CgelR5P
— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) November 24, 2024

On the flip side, Minnesota should be favored in each matchup until they see Detroit. The Vikings won’t welcome Kirk Cousins back kindly on Sunday, and then face lackluster teams like Chicago (home) and Seattle (away). Minnesota already beat the Packers this season, and while Jordan Love wasn’t 100% in that matchup, it was on the road at Lambeau Field.

$220 mil QB. $55 mil/year.

Rough. pic.twitter.com/AeSoB1SOS8
— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) October 3, 2024

These Vikings aren’t the 2022 version where luck played a significant factor en route to a 13-4 record. This group is winning one-possession games because they have a defense that shows up on a weekly basis. That translates against any opponent, and their league-best ability to stop the run is a serious asset.

Ultimately it seems like the division should come down to that Week 18 matchup against Detroit, and casting aside Minnesota as The Athletic has appears foolish. In a season where everyone counted them out, the Vikings have everything to play for in the final third.