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The much anticipated week 18 Vikings @ Lions matchup is here! Tonight’s game will decide the NFC’s #1 seed (the #5 seed as well, but nobody cares about that). Winner gets a round 1 bye, the loser will play the Rams in Los Angeles next week. The stakes are high, and I feel like the Vikings will be up to the task. Kevin O’Connell has developed this group into one hell of a team this year, and has helped Sam Darnold to transform from draft bust to MVP candidate. The Lions defense is their weakness, hopefully the offense can exploit them, then it’s just a matter of our defense doing enough to limit the Lions offense enough in order to get out of Detroit with a win. SKOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Also, I hope you all had the pleasure of seeing the Bears go into Green Bay and beat the Packers. FTP!
The following was pilfered from Vikings.com
Vikings @Lions News & Updates
The final Vikings @ Lions Week 18 injury report.
The Vikings elevated Gabriel Murphy and Calvin Munson to the active roster for tonight’s game.
How to Watch, Listen, & Stream Vikings @ Lions
NATIONAL TELEVISION
NBC (KARE-11 in the Twin Cities)
Kickoff: 7:20 p.m. (CT)
Play-by-Play: Mike Tirico
Analyst: Cris Collinsworth
Sideline reporter: Melissa Stark
Note: The broadcast will be streamed live on Peacock.
LOCAL/REGIONAL RADIO
KFAN (100.3-FM), KTLK 1130-AM and the five-state Vikings Radio Network
Play-by-Play: Paul Allen
Analyst: Pete Bercich
Sideline reporter: Ben Leber
Note: The pregame radio show on the Vikings Radio Network will begin at 5 p.m. (CT).
Audio Streaming Option: Catch the audio broadcast on your smart devices through the KFAN channel on the iHeart app.
Need a clutch QB.
Need KOC to scheme better quick passing routes when needed. Can’t do this 3 or 4 progression drop back all the time. Mix it up.
Need better interior OL. It sucks that we can’t run for first downs very often, and especially touchdowns inside the 5.
We aren’t done and dusted, but we’re gonna have to be a lot better than we were tonight.
Sam, KOC, kicker all had the yips.
Defense was excellent until they wore down.
Normally keeping the Loins to 31 would be good if the Offense did fail.
Hitman will retire with zero SB appearances
We’ll all be dead before the Vikings make the SB again
Ok, Nostradamus.
You think I’m wrong?
‘We’ll all be dead before the Vikings make the SB again’
I certainly doubt that part. Some guys here are pretty young.
We’re done
Bet the farm against the Vikings
The one saving grace is that I think the SB favorite is KC by a factor of 2:1 over any NFC team.
I think the Bills will beat them.
That is certainly a possibility. I put the Bills about 1.5x as good as any NFC team with my jaundiced eye.
Detroit fans are kind of classless
In a game where you win and in for the #1 seed their team completely murdered ours in the second half. They deserve to gloat.
Nah. Fuck ’em
^THIS^
Our coach isn’t aware that it is legal to throw quick passes
Anyone else have a wife that takes the opportunity to twist the knife when the Vikings are down? Just me?
20 years in May.
Might not make it.
Oh yeah, mine likes to tease me, when it was 10-6 she said they were gonna lose and I had to agree with her. Horribad in the red zone.
Mine just went to bed and said I can’t deal with the rest of this game
I’m jealous
The Teacher went to watch TV.
I am watching on the computer, she didn’t even ask.
Jealous
Mine is sympathetic. She went to bed. She told me to not get too mad
Double jealous. My wife is the worst.
Refs clearly biased, but Darnold is the fucking pumpkin I thought he was from before week one. It just took way longer than I thought. This team is toast in an embarrassing fashion. I quit on. Vikings game for the first time in a long time tonight.
Fuck hope.
Yep.
Sam is shit
Time to move on, and hope next season is better.
Disagree on the refs. We’re on the winning side of the calls in the game and they could have easily given us a couple more delay of games.
Nah. Clock hits zeroes, then the person watching the play clock turns their head to the ball. Ball was snapped within the grace period.
Stolen safety. Stolen 1st down conversion DPI on Hock. Bad night for the refs, announcers even agreed.
I put his loss squarely on KOC. As mentioned below by those smarter than I, the routes are taking way too long to develop. You can only absorb so many hits before you start hearing hoofbeats.
He had chances and just missed. He started seeing ghosts before he started getting hit. Sam is being who he has always been. Up to this point KOC has just coached around it
I blame Sam
One thing I’ve noticed (as I’m sure you all have) is the playclock has hit zero at least a half dozen times tonight.
Yes
Bodes poorly for playing on the road in the playoffs.
The other thing I’ve noticed is sam is not great. KOC has been hiding his warts all year. Imagine how good this team will be with an actually good QB (JJ)
Team will still be in “competetive rebuild” next year.
Lots of holes. The O line is shit tonight, and we have a lot of old people on the last year of their contracts.
JJ SB MVP 2026. Not gonna expect it in his first year as the starter but they’ll win the division next year and be in the NFCCG
I’m revising my forecast now. Probably roll with D. Jones as the starter and McCarthy QB2, hopefully ready to roll by mid season.
Swap those and I agree. JJ will be the starter and Jones the backup unless JJ isn’t healthy.
I don’t think he’ll be ready for full speed early in the regular season.
It was fun while it lasted. Good night…
See ya! Sun must be coming up over there.
Man, this feels like that Christmas game when we got gashed by Kamara for 6 TDs. I probably should have had an adult beverage tonight.
Kamara is in for a rude awakening in this life.
Can we beat the Rams in LA? Gotta play better than tonight.
McVay will have his team dialed in. KOC has his work cut out.
No.
One and done.
Same as with Kirko, just less expensive
Can we just forfeit?
The only positive is at least they got a bad game out of the way.
Hopefully this fuels the fire for a playoff run.
That was just stupid
Yes, can’t give the opponent a first down like that.
Shitty offensive performance. Gotta win 4 in a row now.
This team cannot win 3 road games in a row in the playoffs. Book it.
They only had to win 4 in a row coming into tonight. Maybe this ass whipping will wake sam up. The defense played as good as you could ask. They’ll come in the playoffs and hopefully move in to JJ next year. Thank you for service Sam, but you’re not good enough.
0% chance. I’d bet every penny I have.
Me too.
Now we are just embarrassing ourselves
Tough night.
Give the Lions credit, they deserve the win. Can’t blame inopportune Vikings injuries or the refs for this one.
True
Agreed
Dandy Don……
”Turn out the lights, the party is over………”
My original prediction still holds. They will be in the playoffs this year, maybe win a game and JJ will take us to the promised land. Sam never will.
1 for 9 passing in the red zone, and, my friend, I am on the McCarthy train.
Full disclosure, I thought we would be 3-14 with Darnold under center, with the #1 pick.
Happy to hear that change of heart. This loss might be good in the long run so they don’t waste a couple years and tens of millions on Darnold.
Yeah, ballgame.
Thanks, Vikes.
So close to a Van Gink pick 6 and a potential tie game.
Chances were there. Receivers open. Darnold off and not dialed in.
HATE LOSING TO GODDAMN DETROIT!
FTL!
Doesn’t help much tonight, though…
As I just said to my wife, even when the Vikings have a great year, they stab you in the heart
How true
I knew once Gink missed that INT that it would be a touchdown for the Lions. That’s always how it works out.
TD LIONS
FUCK
THAT FELT LIKE THE NAIL
OVER IT, ON TO LA NEXT MONDAY NIGHT!
Would’ve taken a bunch of Detroit mistakes for us to win…oh scratch that the ability to score TDs in the red zone.
Run for the TD bad guys.
Grrrr
Ginkel almost had one there.
This should be enough reason to let Sam go get paid by some other team. 2025 is JJ time.
The ghost of Cousins past.
Darnold is who he is and he obviously can’t step up in the moment. Time to play the winner and let somebody else pay the guy who sees ghosts when the moment gets to big.
If he could have played NFL average at QB position against Detroit’s depleted defense I’d have paid the man. 14 of 32? Nope nope nope.
Reichard is almost toast. Guess we’ll lose this one. Offense der. KOC outcoached. Can we turn this around, still? Not much hope…
If your kicker isn’t solid by this point in the season you’re done.
This is one of the worst passing defenses in the league, and suddenly they are the best defense in the league against our really terrible, overrated play design. Just attack them with what everybody else has been attacking them with. Hit them with slants and hooks and quick easy plays across the middle. We don’t need these long developing plays that Sam has no time to complete. Change your game plan. KOC is getting out coached.
Sam has had time, he just can’t hit the broad side of a barn
Vikings definitely had their chances to win this game, but methinks they’ve used up their chances. Game Detroit.
4TH QUARTER!
TIME TO QUIT FUCKING AROUND AND GO TAKE THIS GAME!
LETS GOOOOO
GOTTA FORCE A TURNOVER!
I kinda feel like this debacle is my fault. This is only the 2nd game I’ve been able to watch live.
The other game…. the rams game.
Why do we suck when I get to watch live?
Viking kicker curse is alive and well
Reichard is yipping.
How the hell did they not throw the flag for DPI on the throw to Hock?
Agreed, obvious. Lions get away with a lot of that
Wouldn’t fit narrative. Lions obviously favored.
Very clear
Ricola with the slice, wide right. Not looking good, D needs to save us…..again.
51 yard FG missed.
His Mojo is missing.
Fuckin kickers
Damn it!
OK, we threw it to Oliver?
27 to speedy.
Sammy Pumpkin
Hopefully convince them to let him walk. JJ time in 2025.
Lot of game left.
we need to score this drive.
Getting out coached
Sure are. By a meathead.
Please stop with the cover zero zone blitzes. Goff is a zone blitz killing quarterback. You got to do press man, and you have to have that linebacker right on the running back.
I agree…
Amen
Shit…
Would only be down by 2 if they would have kicked the field goals.
Yep
Goff found his rhythm. Darnold better find his this drive.
CASHMAN WAS MUGGED ON THAT TD
This sucks.