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Week 13 Game Recap: Detroit Lions 10, Minnesota Vikings 42
What you need to know
| Detroit Lions |
The Detroit Lions came into the game intent on not wasting any time trying to establish the running game. There were successful early on, scoring on two of their first three possessions. That is where their success ended however.
Jon Kitna had early success throwing the ball. Early on, Kitna spread the ball around and found receivers open in soft spots of the Vikings' defense. However, the pressure soon got to Kitna, and turnovers and penalties started to derail Lion drives.
Roy Williams was the early benefactor of the all air Lions attack. All 85 of his yards came in the first half. Williams was headed for a huge day before being slowed by an injury and failed to register a catch in the second half, finishing the game in street clothes.
Kevin Jones and the Lions running game was not a factor at all. Jones had just three rushes, and the Lions ran the ball just seven times all game. Jones' history of tough days against the Vikings continued.
| Minnesota Vikings |
The game for the Vikings was all about the return of Adrian Peterson. After missing two and a half games due to a knee injury, Peterson returned to the field. He did not disappoint. He displayed the quickness, speed, vision, and ankle breaking moves that have him atop the rushing leader board. Peterson did not appear slowed at all despite wearing a knee brace on the injured right knee.
Tarvaris Jackson did his best to steal the spotlight from Peterson. Jackson had his best day as a pro yet, registering 200+ yards and throwing for two touchdowns, both firsts for the second year player.
Jackson spread the ball around as usual, so no Viking receivers had big games. Bobby Wade, Sidney Rice, and Aundrae Allison all had over 50 yards and Wade and Rice each caught a touchdown.
What you ought to know
| QB Jon Kitna, Pass: 27 - 36 - 260 - 1 TD / 1 INT |
Kitna started the game well, finding receivers in soft spot, and throwing on target. However, once the Vikings started to bring pressure, Kitna soon became rattled. He battled through the pressure, but suffered an interception due as a direct result of the pressure. Since the Lions did not bother running the ball, Kitna was able to put up decent yardage numbers purely on the number of chances he had.
| RB Kevin Jones, Rush: 3 - 1 - 0, Rec: 3 - 16 - 0 (3 targets) |
Jones has never had much success against the Vikings, and that trend continued in week 13. He only had three chances to run the ball, and ran for four, zero, and negative three yards. He did catch all three of his targets, but he was not a factor all game. T. J. Duckett outrushed Kevin Jones with three carries in garbage time trying to run out the clock.
| WR Mike Furrey, Rec: 7 - 57 - 0 (9 targets) |
Furrey was consistently targeted throughout the game, and led the team in targets. The Lions consistently went with multiple receiver sets, and often had an empty backfield. Furrey was matched up with young Vikings defensive back Marcus McCauley and Kitna appeared to be picking on the rookie. Furrey benefited from that matchup, pulling in seven of his nine targets All of his targets were on shorter routes, and many quick slants. His longest catch went for just 11 yards.
| WR Shaun McDonald, Rec: 6 - 54 - 0 (7 targets) |
McDonald quietly pulled in six of his seven targets. McDonald frequently worked shorter routes near the sideline, and rarely ventured deep down field. McDonald benefited from the quick passing game the Lions employed to combat the pressure brought by the Vikings and made his day working on underneath routes.
| WR Roy Williams, Rec: 5 - 85 - 0 (7 targets) |
Williams started the game on fire, and was Jon Kitna's primary read early and often. They connected on a variety of passes, over the middle, deep down the sideline, and ever short passes were turning into good gains. Everything was working. However, Williams suffered an injury to his knee. He was seen on the sideline with his knee heavily bandaged before the end of the first half. He briefly returned in the second half, but was in street clothes by the fourth quarter.
| WR Calvin Johnson, Rec: 1 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) |
Johnson had a quiet day, receiving just three targets, and catching just one. His first look was a desperation heave from Kitna, throwing the ball as he was hit. Johnson came back for the ball, but it was thrown well short. His next target was on a quick slant, and Johnson was wide open. The ball hit him in the hands, and it was a simple mental lapse as he dropped the ball. Kitna came back to him on the very next play, with the Lions going for it on fourth down. Johnson ran another slant and held on to the ball for 17 yards.
| PK Jason Hanson 1 - 1 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 4 points |
Hanson, as usual, was perfect on the day, hitting a 37 yard field goal and his only extra point attempt.
| DET Rush Defense |
The Lions rush defense looked porous trying to stop the lethal tandem of Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor. Peterson made defenders look silly consistently, and Taylor showed good power moving piles.
| DET Pass Defense |
The Lions pass defense did not far much better than their run defense. Tarvaris Jackson was able to look like a seasoned veteran and put up the best passing game of his career against the Lions.
| QB Tarvaris Jackson, Pass: 18 - 24 - 204 - 2 TD / 1 INT, Rush: 5 - 20 - 0 |
Jackson put up his best passing performance of his career against the Lions. Improving on his last two games of highly efficient play, Jackson looked to throw deeper down the field and made a number of nice throws. Jackson again displayed good pocket presence, escaping from pressure five times. Jackson, while it does not show up in fantasy numbers, also displayed maturity by throwing the ball away when time in the pocket was running out, a skill he had not previously displayed. However, what did show up in the box score was important as he completed 75 percent of his passes, had his first 200 plus yard passing game, and had his first two touchdown passing game in his young career. His lone mistake was an interception near the Lions end zone. It appeared the receiver ran a different route than Jackson was throwing, but the game was well in hand by that point.
| RB Chester Taylor, Pass: 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 14 - 70 - 1, Rec: 2 - 17 - 0 (3 targets) |
Taylor was the second option in the Vikings running attack with the return of Adrian Peterson. He did have a nice fantasy day, thanks in large part to the Vikings building an early lead. Peterson did not appear significantly in the second half, and Taylor was the primary ball carrier grinding out the victory. Taylor also scored the Vikings first touchdown two plays after replacing Peterson due to a long Peterson run.
| RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 15 - 116 - 2, Rec: 1 - 10 - 0 (2 targets) |
Fantasy owners held their breath waiting for the return of Adrian Peterson. It turned out to be a triumphant return, as Peterson showed no ill effect from his knee injury three weeks ago. On his fifteen carries, Peterson displayed all of the speed, quickness, power, and moves he exploded onto the NFL scene with. Despite Coach Childress indicating Taylor would get the start, Peterson was in on the first snaps of the game. He soon made his presence felt on his third carry of the game. He exploded through a hole on the right side of the line, broke an arm tackle, sped to the sideline and raced 28 yards. It was clear at that point that his knee was not slowing him down. On each of his two touchdown runs, he made spectacular moves on Lion defensive backs. On his first, after shedding arm tackles, he made a tremendous cut, planting firmly on the braced up right knee, and left a Lions defender standing still. On his second touchdown run, he made a stutter step move on a defender, and again planted hard on his right knee, cutting to the left and walked in for the score.
| WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 5 - 53 - 1 (6 targets) |
Rice continued to assert himself as a key component in the Vikings passing offense. Rice again was a factor on converting on third down receptions. He also made a great leaping catch in the end zone for a touchdown. It also appeared that Jackson and Rice have improved their chemistry, as displayed on one pass up the sideline where Jackson threw behind a well covered Rice, allowing Rice to stop his route and make the catch with the defender continuing up the sideline.
| WR Bobby Wade, Rec: 4 - 54 - 1 (7 targets) |
Wade was a primary benefactor from the improved play of Tarvaris Jackson. Instead of the normal shorter passing routes Wade has made his living on this season, Wade was able to run several deeper routes, and Jackson was able to hit him in stride. Wade's touchdown came on a short second and goal play. Jackson could not find a receiver, and finally looked back toward Wade who was open right at the end zone line.
| PK Ryan Longwell 0 - 0 FG, 6 - 6 XP, 6 points |
Longwell did not have a field goal attempt, but was perfect on his six extra points.
| MIN Rush Defense |
The Vikings rush defense was stout, though extremely untested. They allowed starter Kevin Jones just one yard on his three carries. T. J. Duckett was able to rumble for 22 yards on his three carries after the game was well in hand and Detroit was content to run out the clock.
| MIN Pass Defense |
The Vikings pass rush played well, getting consistent pressure and not allowing John Kitna to feel comfortable in the pocket. The Vikings secondary did not play as well, however. When the Vikings did fail to get pressure on the quarterback, Lions wide receivers more often than not were able to find openings in the defensive secondary.
