The Minnesota Vikings‘ final injury report before a pivotal, primetime matchup with the NFC North rival Detroit Lions was a mixed bag.
The good news: starting running back Aaron Jones is off the injury report and is expected to play after dealing with a quad injury this week.
The bad news: outside linebacker Pat Jones was ruled out after suffering a knee injury in a Week 17 win over the Green Bay Packers. Jones is third on the team with 7.0 sacks this season. Rookie first-round pick Dallas Turner is expected to play a larger role in Jones’ absence.
Backup inside linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (illness) and cornerback Fabian Moreau (hip) are listed as questionable ahead of arguably the biggest regular-season game in NFL history.
The Vikings (14-2) and Lions (14-2) share the most wins by any two teams entering a game in league history. Their regular-season finale will not only determine which team wins the division title but also the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
It’s been 30 years since two teams met in the final game of the regular season with the top seed in the postseason on the line. In 1993, the Dallas Cowboys defeated the New York Giants to claim the No. 1 seed in the NFC in their run to winning the Super Bowl that year.
The stakes may be even higher when both teams meet on “Sunday Night Football.”
Vikings, Lions Super Bowl Ambitions Hinge on SNF Finale
GettyLions coach Dan Campbell meets Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell after a 2024 matchup.
The top seed in the playoffs is pivotal to a team hoping to make the Super Bowl. A first-round bye plus home-field advantage have proved to tip the scales significantly.
From CNN’s Harry Enten: “Let’s take a look at every completed NFL season in the last 25 years. The teams that have gotten the top seed have won 26 of 50 (52%) conference titles. Given that there were 308 teams fighting over those 50 spots, this 52% is amazingly high. By probability alone, the one seed should make the Super Bowl about 15% of the time.
“About three-quarters (32 of 42) of teams that made the Super Bowl got a bye (first or second seed) from 1999 to 2019 made the Super Bowl. This included 52% of teams that were the one seed and 24% who were the two seed.”
Since the NFL expanded the playoff field to 14 teams in 2020, only the No. 1 seed in the playoffs receives a first-round bye.
The loser of Sunday night’s game will be knocked down to wild-card status and have to win three games, most likely all on the road, instead of two games at home to reach the Super Bowl — making the top seed even more vital to their Super Bowl hopes.
“Over the last four seasons, four of eight (50%) of No. 1 seeds made the Super Bowl. Exactly zero of eight No. 2 seeds made the Super Bowl. This includes my Buffalo Bills who have been the second in the AFC three of the last four years,” Enten wrote.
Lions Favorites Despite Being Shorthanded After Week 7 Win Over Vikings
GettyLions quarterback Jared Goff
After escaping Minnesota with a 31-29 win in Week 7, the Lions roster has been ravaged by injuries.
They currently have 13 defensive players on injured reserve, and will also be without running back David Montgomery. Detroit’s defense has suffered, surrendering 30 or more points in three of their last four games.
However, the offense remains a juggernaut as the highest-scoring unit in the league, averaging 33.3 points per game.
The Lions, winners of four straight against Minnesota, are 2.5-point home favorites to win the game according to major sportsbooks.
Fans are in store for a high-scoring affair with the over-under set at 57.5 points, the second-highest mark in the past five seasons.
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Good and Bad News for Vikings Ahead of Historic Lions Matchup