2026
Week 15 · Sunday 8:20 PM ET · U.S. Bank Stadium
vs
Lions offensevsVikings defense
Season numbers through Week 8: 7 games for Lions, 7 for Vikings. Ranks are out of 32; #1 is the best offense or the stingiest defense.
Ground game edge
Lions average 4.7 yards per carry (6th). Vikings allow 4.5 (25th).
Deep middle is open
Vikings are worst against deep middle throws, allowing +1.12 EPA per attempt. Lions send 7% of their throws there. That is a small part of their offense so far.
Third downs favor Vikings
Lions convert 39% of third downs (22nd). Vikings allow 31% (2nd).
Success rate
Call this one even. Lions succeed on 49% of plays (3rd) against a defense that allows 37% (2nd).
Players to watch
Lions
Jared GoffQB · 168/248 · 1964 yds · 15 TD · 1 INTEPA per dropback +0.27 · 6th
Jahmyr GibbsRB · 157 car · 773 yds · 10 TD · 34 recEPA per touch -0.01 · 22nd
Amon-Ra St. BrownWR · 53 rec · 571 yds · 5 TD · 76 tgtEPA per target +0.31
Sam LaPortaTE · 31 rec · 367 yds · 3 TD · 44 tgtEPA per target +0.74 · 2ndAidan HutchinsonLeft Defensive End · 20 tackles · 5 sacks · 1 PD5 sacks · T-12th in the NFLDerrick BarnesWeakside Linebacker · 34 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 INT · 2 PD3 sacks
Vikings
Kyler MurrayQB · 100/154 · 1022 yds · 5 TD · 3 INTEPA per dropback -0.06 · 27th
Jordan MasonRB · 38 car · 147 yds · 1 TD · 0 recEPA per touch -0.26
Justin JeffersonWR · 28 rec · 335 yds · 4 TD · 40 tgtEPA per target +0.54 · 16th
T.J. HockensonTE · 31 rec · 295 yds · 3 TD · 37 tgtEPA per target +0.67 · 3rdAndrew Van GinkelWeakside Linebacker · 21 tackles · 6.5 sacks · 1 INT · 1 PD6.5 sacks · T-5th in the NFLBlake CashmanRight Inside Linebacker · 62 tackles · 4.5 sacks · 5 PD4.5 sacks · T-16th in the NFLThe Vikings lead the series 36–19 since 1999. Nov 1, 2026, at Ford Field: the Lions won 19–15. Jared Goff started at quarterback for the Lions and Kyler Murray for the Vikings; Dan Campbell and Kevin O'Connell coached.
The last 5
| 2026 · Wk 8 | MIN 15 at DET 19 |
| 2025 · Wk 17 | DET 10 at MIN 23 |
| 2025 · Wk 9 | MIN 27 at DET 24 |
| 2024 · Wk 18 | MIN 9 at DET 31 |
| 2024 · Wk 7 | DET 31 at MIN 29 |
2026 records
| Lions | Vikings | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 5–2 | 6–1 |
| Division | 2–0 | 2–1 |
| Conference | 4–1 | 4–1 |
| Other conference | 1–1 | 2–0 |
| Home | 4–0 | 3–0 |
| Away | 1–2 | 3–1 |
| Last 5 | WLWWW | WWWWL |
| Streak | Won 3 | Lost 1 |
| Points a game | 29.0 – 25.7 | 20.0 – 13.3 |
Every meeting since 1999, regular season and playoffs, from nflverse's game list, which starts in 1999; the all-time series goes back further. Franchises that moved count as one team (the Raiders, Chargers and Rams). Home and away are from the Lions' side. Records are this regular season.
Lions offense · 3WR 1TE
- QBJared Goff#16 · 168/248 · 1964 yds · 15 TD · 1 INT
- RBJahmyr Gibbs#0 · 157 car · 773 yds · 10 TD · 34 rec
- WRAmon-Ra St. Brown#14 · 53 rec · 571 yds · 5 TD · 76 tgt
- WRJameson Williams#1 · 27 rec · 437 yds · 5 TD · 44 tgt
- WRIsaac TeSlaa#18 · 10 rec · 197 yds · 0 TD · 21 tgt
- TESam LaPorta#87 · 31 rec · 367 yds · 3 TD · 44 tgt
- LTPenei Sewell#58
- LGChristian Mahogany#73
- CCade Mays#64
- RGTate Ratledge#69
- RTBlake Miller
Vikings defense · Base 3-4 D
- RDEJalen Redmond#61 · 22 tackles · 0.5 sacks · 3 PD
- NTCaleb Banks#95 · 12 tackles
- LDELevi Drake Rodriguez#50 · 14 tackles · 1 sack
- WLBAndrew Van Ginkel#43 · 21 tackles · 6.5 sacks · 1 INT · 1 PD
- SLBDallas Turner#15 · 18 tackles · 6 sacks
- RILBBlake Cashman#51 · 62 tackles · 4.5 sacks · 5 PD
- LILBEric Wilson#55 · 41 tackles · 3 sacks · 1 PD
- RCBJames Pierre#23 · 24 tackles · 2 INT · 4 PD
- LCBIsaiah Rodgers#2 · 22 tackles · 1 INT · 4 PD
- NBByron Murphy Jr.#7 · 34 tackles · 3 INT · 6 PD
- SSJoshua Metellus#44 · 50 tackles · 0.5 sacks · 4 PD
- FSHarrison Smith#22 · 15 tackles · 0.5 sacks · 1 INT · 4 PD
Starters from each team's current depth chart (nflverse, from ESPN), drawn in the offense's base three-receiver set against the defense's base front. The nickel back, the extra defensive back most teams use against three receivers, is drawn lighter. Left and right are as the offense sees the field. The toggle at the top flips which offense is drawn.
| Stat | DET off | Favors DET · Favors MIN | MIN def allows | NFL avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | ||||
| EPA per play | +0.12#6 | -0.17#1 | +0.00 | |
| Success rate | 49%#3 | 37%#2 | 44% | |
| Yards per play | 6.0#7 | 4.7#2 | 5.4 | |
| Explosive play rate | 12%#3 | 9%#14 | 9% | |
| Passing | ||||
| Pass EPA per dropback | +0.25#2 | -0.24#1 | +0.03 | |
| Sack rate | 6%#14 | 11%#1 | 7% | |
| Running | ||||
| Run EPA per carry | -0.05#13 | -0.11#10 | -0.08 | |
| Yards per carry | 4.7#6 | 4.5#25 | 4.1 | |
| Money downs | ||||
| 3rd down conversion | 39%#22 | 31%#2 | 41% | |
| Red zone TD rate | 69%#5 | 27%#1 | 61% | |
| Targets by position | ||||
| WR yards per game | 173#7 | 123#6 | 147 | |
| TE yards per game | 60#14 | 39#4 | 55 | |
| TE targets per game | 7.6#15 | 6.3#6 | 7.6 | |
| RB receiving yards per game | 48#5 | 18#3 | 32 | |
Lions: EPA per throw
Vikings: EPA allowed per throw
Green gains more than expected, red loses value. Cells with fewer than 5 throws are grayed out.