The Minnesota Vikings (5-0) and Detroit Lions (4-1) will face off in Week 7 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minnesota in a pivotal NFC North matchup. While the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers are also matching up this week, the Vikings-Lions game is a bigger game than the Super Bowl rematch.
Why Vikings-Lions is a better matchup
The Vikings and Lions game is better for several reasons. The first reason is that the winner will be atop the NFC North as we approach the midway mark of the season. The winner will also lead the head-to-head matchup before they get to the second game on Jan. 5.
Being able to win this game for either team would be huge. But both teams actually have big losses injury-wise that will not play in this game. Aidan Hutchinson will be out for the Lions and is a huge loss as he is a force to be reckoned with on their defensive line. Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson is questionable as he recovers from ACL surgery. He is a pivotal part of the offense for the Vikings.
Another reason this game is better is because it's a matchup of arguably the best offensive coordinator in Ben Johnson for the Lions and the best defensive coordinator in Brian Flores for the Vikings. Both Johnson and Flores are masterful at what they do, and it's going to be exciting to see how they approach game plans for this one.
One last reason this game is better is that it will be shown to a big audience and will showcase if the Vikings are legit or if the Lions are just as good as they were last season. We might get a better understanding if the Lions are poised to go on a run again after the 49ers eliminated them in last year's NFC Championship Game.
Is there anything special about Chiefs-49ers this go around?
There's not a lot that is special or pivotal about this matchup this time. Sure, the schedule-makers have no idea who is going to be good and who is not as they make the schedule, but this one was destined for a national audience as it is the Super Bowl rematch.
There are not a whole lot of implications in this one outside of the Chiefs staying undefeated at 6-0 or the 49ers taking a half-game lead in the NFC West at 4-3.
Patrick Mahomes vs. Brock Purdy is always a must-watch game as they are both superstars, but is this one going to be as fun as Vikings-Lions?
Both will be on most TVs come Sunday and are going to be good games, but one should be more exciting and more of a must-watch than the other.
