Vikings: Three keys to defeat Lions

By Krupka  |   Friday, October 06, 2006  |  Comments( 1 )

Minnesota Vikings
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Domination -noun
1. an act or instance of dominating.
2. rule or sway; control, often arbitrary.

When the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions tangle, domination describes perfectly what the Vikings have done to their counterpart. They have won eight straight games, including 14 of 16 against their divisional foe.

While the win-loss record is staggering, few of the victories have come easy. In fact, the Vikings' average margin of victory in their last eight games against the Lions is just 6.3 points. Still, there is no denying the Vikings have had the Lions number.

In the day and age of the NFL where parity reigns supreme, one would think a streak like this would come to end soon. However, by now you'd think the Lions, who seem to be on the never-ending rebuilding plan, would have shaken the loser label. Or, at the very least, put an end to their fans' misery by firing maligned general manager Matt Millen. Owner William Clay Ford, for reasons unbeknownst to any rational-thinking person, has refused to trash Millen.

Millen may be the Lions' biggest problem, but come Sunday they will have their hands full, as they attempt to claim their first win of the season. With a 0-4 record, it is their longest winless streak to begin a season since the disastrous 0-12 start in the dreadful 2001 season. Add in the fact they haven't won in Minnesota since 1997 and you can see the trouble ahead. To put that in some perspective, Bill Clinton was just beginning his second term as President; Bobby Ross was in his first year as the head coach of the Lions; running back Barry Sanders was in his prime; and Scott Mitchell was a legitimate quarterback in the NFL.

However, the Lions do pose a threat to the Vikings in a stark contrast of the two teams. The Lions bring in an offense that has found its groove and can put points on the board, while the Vikings' offense has yet to score 19 points this season, and has been the talk of the town-- and not in a good way. Conversely, the 26th-ranked defense the Lions possess is about as different as it gets from the Vikings' unit that is ranked 10th.

Without further ado, let's take a look at the three keys for a Minnesota Vikings victory:

1.) Win the turnover battle- Probably the most obvious and important statistic in determining which team wins or loses on a given day. Currently, the Lions are minus-four in turnover margin, but the Vikings aren't far ahead at a weak minus-two. Neither of the defenses has shown a propensity to create turnovers this season, but the Vikings have been proficient at it in recent years. Certainly the edge here would have to go to Minnesota; but if its stagnant offense doesn't protect the football this week, the team could be staring at its third straight defeat, after starting the season 2-0.


2.) Run the football early and often- Brad Childress' team cannot abandon the run this week and expect to win. The Lions have been phenomenal against the rush this season, holding opponents to three yards per carry on the ground and ranking 10th in the NFL in run 'D'.

So, once again, the yards may not come easy for running back Chester Taylor, but he needs to continue to get chances. The most telling stat for the Vikings early this season is that, when they won their first two games, and, for all intents and purposes, had the Chicago Bears beat, Taylor received more than 20 carries and the Vikings won the time of possession battle in each. The only game the Vikings haven't won the time of possession battle in was last week's 17-12 loss to the Bills. It was no coincidence they lost with Taylor only receiving 10 carries. The 213-pound back gets better as his touches increase and the game wears on, so staying committed to the run will be huge. It was instrumental in the team's Week 1 victory against the Redskins, where the back toted the rock 31 times and caught three passes.


3.) Reduce the mental mistakes and penalties- The Vikings continue to shoot themselves in the foot on a weekly basis with careless penalties, most resulting from mental lapses. Staying focused and cutting down on miscues will pay dividends. They are averaging 9.5 infractions per game, and, more often than not, they have come at critical junctures. Just last week two defensive offsides penalties, a false start on a two- point conversion and an offensive pass interference penalty cost the team six points on offense and seven on defense. Clean up the sloppy play, and there is no reason to believe the Vikings won't beat the Lions.

When all is said and done, expect the Vikings to defeat the Lions for a ninth straight time. But don't be fooled, the game could be closer than many expect.

Prediction: Vikings 20, Lions 19

Eric Krupka is a senior writer for RealFootball365.com. He responds to readers email daily and can be reached at ekrupka@realfootball365.com

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