STADIUM: Ford Field
REFEREE: Brad Rogers
DATE: Sunday, January 7, 2024
GAME TIME: 1:00 PM ET
FOX: Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston, Pam Oliver
SiriusXM (also available on the SXM App) MIN: 162 or 381 DET: 81 or 226
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY REG. SEASON: MIN leads series, 80-42-2 (DET won 3 of past 4). THE LAST TIME … REG. SEASON: 12/24/23: DET 30 at MIN 24.
HEAD COACHES NOTES: Kevin O’Connell vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 1-2 Reg. Season: 20-13 (.606) Postseason: 0-1 (.000). Dan Campbell vs. Opponent (incl. postseason): 3-2 Reg. Season: 28-33-1 (.460) Postseason: 0-0.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS NOTES:
• QB NICK MULLENS passed for 113 yards & TD vs. 0 INTs for 87.9 rating last week. Has 300+ pass yards & 2+ TD passes in each of his 2 starts this season, incl. 411 pass yards & 2 TD passes vs. Det. in Week 16. • RB ALEXANDER MATTISON has career highs in scrimmage yards (863) & rush yards (676 in 2023).
• RB TY CHANDLER had 64 scrimmage yards (40 rush, 24 rec.) in Week 17. Had rush TD in Week 16 meeting.
• WR JUSTIN JEFFERSON has 56 catches for 882 yards in 9 games this season & can reach 1,000+ rec. yards for 4th-straight season. Had 141 rec. yards & TD catch in Week 16 meeting & has 881 rec. yards (125.9 per game) in 7 career games vs. Det.
• WR JORDAN ADDISON ranks tied-1st among rookies in rec. TDs (9), ranks 5th in rec. yards (854) & tied-5th in catches (66).
• TE JOHNNY MUNDT had 1st rec. TD of season last week.
• LB DANIELLE HUNTER ranks tied-1st in NFL with 21 TFL & 5th with 15.5 sacks (most among NFC players) in 2023. Has 9 sacks in 8 road games this season. Has 12 sacks & 13 TFL in 13 career games vs. Det.
• LB IVAN PACE (rookie) had 11 tackles last week, his 2nd-career game with 10+ tackles. Leads all rookies with 91 tackles. Had FR in the last meeting.
• LB PAT JONES had career-high 9 tackles last week. Had 3 TFL & sack in Week 16.
• S CAMRYN BYNUM leads all DBs with career-high 130 tackles this season. Had 8 tackles & 2 FFs in Week 16 meeting.
• S JOSH METELLUS has career-high 106 tackles in 2023 & is 1 of 4 in NFL with 5+ tackles in 16 games this season.
• S HARRISON SMITH has 8th-straight season with 75+ tackles in 2023.
DETROIT LIONS NOTES:
• DETROIT clinched 1st division title since 1993.
• QB JARED GOFF ranks 3rd in NFL with 4,225 pass yards & tied4th with 28 TD passes in 2023. Has 19 TDs (17 pass, 2 rush) vs. 6 INTs for 105.7 rating in 7 home starts this season. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with 100+ rating & 4th in row at home with 2+ TD passes. Had TD pass & 99.7 rating in Week 16 meeting.
• RB JAHMYR GIBBS ranks tied-1st among rookies in scrimmage TDs (10), 2nd in rush yards (915) & 3rd in scrimmage yards (1,231). Had 100 scrimmage yards (80 rush, 20 rec.) & 2 rush TDs in Week 16 meeting.
• RB DAVID MONTGOMERY had career-high 12th rush TD of season last week. Has 1,092 scrimmage yards (975 rush, 117 rec.), his 5thstraight 1,000-yard season & can reach 1,000 rush yards for 2nd time in his career (1,070 in 2020 w/ Chi.). Had rush TD in Week 16 meeting.
• WR AMON-RA ST. BROWN had career-high 9th rec. TD of season last week. Ranks tied-2nd in NFL with career-high 112 catches & ranks 5th with career-high 1,371 rec. yards this season. Has 308 career catches, 3rd-most by player in 1st 3 seasons all-time. Had 12 catches for 106 yards & rec. TD in Week 16 meeting.
• TE SAM LAPORTA has 81 receptions, tied with Keith Jackson (81 in 1988) for most by rookie TE in NFL history. Has 860 rec. yards, 5th-most by rookie TE all-time. Can become 3rd rookie TE ever with 10+ rec. TDs.
• DL AIDAN HUTCHINSON had career-high 4 TFL, his 2nd-career game with 3 sacks & 3rd FF of season in Week 17. Has a career-high 11 TFL & career-high tying 9.5 sacks in 2023.
• LB ALEX ANZALONE has 120 tackles in 2023 & needs 5 tackles for new career high (125 in 2022). Has TFL in 2 of his past 3.
• S IFEATU MELIFONWU aims for his 3rd in row with INT.
• DB BRIAN BRANCH (rookie) aims for his 3rd in row with 2+ PD.
