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3 Lions to Watch Out For against the Vikings
The Lions -- at 3-8-1 and clearly in the midst of a lost season -- take on Kirk Cousins & the Vikings this afternoon in a game that is ultra meaningful for Minnesota.
The Vikings -- at 8-4 and coming off a loss on Monday Night Football to Seattle -- trail the Packers by a lone game for the NFC North division lead.
If Matt Patricia & Co. want to have any chance at pulling off the upset, here are three players that must bring their "A" game:
QB David Blough
What will he do for an encore performance after his impressive NFL debut on Thanksgiving against the Bears?
He threw for 280 yards, two touchdowns and an interception against Chicago.
Going into today's contest, the Vikings have allowed an average of 242.9 yards through the air per contest.
On Monday Night Football this past week against the Seahawks, Mike Zimmer & Co. allowed MVP candidate and one-time Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson to throw for 240 yards, two scores and an INT.
Expect for Blough to throw for a little less than that -- I'm going to say 233 yards -- to go along with a TD and INT in a Lions loss.
DE Trey Flowers
Flowers has had at least one QB hit in each of his last five games -- he didn't play in Week 12 due to a concussion.
Over his last five games, he's also accumulated five sacks, six tackles for loss and 11 QB hits.
On Thanksgiving Day against the Bears, he finished with an impressive stat line: a sack, three tackles, a tackle for loss and one QB hit.
Cousins stayed clean the first time the Lions and Vikes matched up this season in Week 7 -- one of only three times he's avoided being sacked in 2019.
He also avoided being sacked a week ago against the Seahawks.
With Flowers playing better football of late, expect him to record a sack of the Michigan State product later today in Minnesota.
CB Justin Coleman
Coleman's coming off one of his best games of the season.
In Week 13 against the Bears, he recorded five solo tackles and three passes defensed.
The five solo tackles and three passes defensed he recorded are both tied for season-highs.
He also accounted for five unassisted tackles in Weeks 8 and 9 -- against the Giants and Raiders, respectively -- and three passes defensed in Weeks 3 and 6 -- against the Eagles and Packers, respectively.
He was responsible for five total tackles and a forced fumble the last time out against Minnesota.
Expect him to produce at least four solo tackles of Dalvin Cook & Co. in the Lions' Week 14 matinee with Minnesota.
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