Lions Defense Continues to Dominate in Win Over Vikings

The Minnesota Vikings dodged a shutout at home against their NFC North rival, the Detroit Lions in a 17-3 loss.

The Lions rose to 4-2 on the season and continued to prove their dominance on the defensive side of the ball.

Ndamukong Suh and the Lions defense have carried the struggling offense through the first six games of the season, allowing a league-best average of 13.6 points per game.

The offense has continued to miss the mark in both the run game and passing game. These woes can mostly be attributed to the failure of the offensive line to protect the quarterback. Stafford was sacked eight times by the Vikings’ front line, making it 25 sacks allowed on the year. The Lions will continue to struggle on offense if the front line cannot keep the quarterback’s jersey clean.

With Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush sidelined with injuries, the Lions were limited on weapons. Theo Riddick had the first touchdown of the game on a nine-yard pass from Stafford. Joique Bell had a stellar game, running for 74 yards and one touchdown, averaging 4.1 yards per carry.

The debut of 2013 Pro Bowl kicker Matt Prater left Lions fans’ heads spinning, again. The third kicker this year for the Lions bolsters the best resume, yet was only 1-3 in field goals. Fans should wonder what the coaching staff will do about the kicking situation, but until then they must continue their patience and lean on the defense.

Jim Caldwell is showing his worth so far, sporting a positive record at 4-2 on the league and 2-0 in the division. The Lions are in great position to maintain their lead the next two weeks, facing two underwhelming defenses in New Orleans and Atlanta.

Continue to bet on the defense, they have proven their worth and that they can dominate week in and week out.


Chris Boggus is a multimedia journalist for Impact Sports