You’ve been reading and hearing all week that tonight’s Vikings-Lions game is the most important football game in the history of history.
NBC should get great ratings for the game, which kicks off at 7:20 p.m. with Mike Tirico on play-by-play, Cris Collinsworth as analyst and Melissa Stark on the sideline. Prior to that, the full Football Night in America team will be on-site for the first time for a season finale, with coverage starting at 6 p.m.
Well, here’s some more about the game. Some will be a different version of what you’ve read elsewhere. Hopefully a lot of it isn’t.
Here we go.
28 wins
Both teams enter the game with a 14-2 record.
The 28 combined wins are the most shared by two teams in a regular-season matchup in NFL history, according to NFL Research.
The previous best was 25, set twice
2007: New England Patriots (15-0) vs. New York Giants (10-5)
2005: Indianapolis Colts (13-1) vs. Seattle Seahawks (12-2)
10 over .500
Elias Sports says that the game in Detroit will be only the fourth in NFL history between teams that are both 10 or more games above .500.
The others:
2005: Indianapolis Colts (13-1) vs. Seattle Seahawks (12-2)
1983: Washington Redskins (12-2) vs. Dallas Cowboys (12-2)
1926: Frankford Yellow Jackets (12-1-1) vs. Chicago Bears (11-0-2)
No. 1 seed at stake
This will be only the third time since playoff seeding began in 1975 that two opponents have played in the final game of the regular season with the No. 1 seed in a conference on the line.
In 1979 Dallas edged Washington 35-34 and in 1993 the Cowboys downed the New York Giants 16-13 in overtime.
History favors No. 1 seed
History has significantly favored No. 1 seeds over No. 5 seeds, although there's never been a No. 5 seed with 14 wins.
Since 1975, a No. 1 seed has made the Super Bowl 55.1 percent of the time.
A No. 5 seed has only made it 3.3 percent of the time.
Loser seeded 5th
The winner will earn a first-round bye to advance to the Divisional Round and can host up to two NFC Playoff games (Divisional Round and NFC Championship Game) on its journey to Super Bowl LIX.
The loser will be the No. 5 seed and will go on the road in the Wild Card Round, visiting Tampa Bay, Los Angeles or Atlanta, depending on other results.
Cashman's impact
The Vikings are 13-0 this season in games with Blake Cashman playing inside linebacker.
Detroit in Week 7 caught Minnesota during the first of three games Cashman missed with a toe injury. The Eden Prairie graduate and former Gopher will be in the lineup Sunday.
Cashman leads the Vikings defense with 104 tackles and 63 solo.
He's fifth on the team with 10 hits on quarterbacks and eight passes defended, and fourth with 4.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss.
Justin Jefferson
During his career with the Vikings, Randy Moss played seven road games at Detroit, compiling 747 receiving yards.
Justin Jefferson’s total at Detroit is 730 yards. In four games.
Here are Jefferson’s numbers by game (catches-yards-TD):
2020: 9-133-0
2021: 11-182-1
2022: 11-223-0
2023: 12-192-1
Jefferson is third in career receiving yards for a visiting player at Detroit. Carroll Dale, who played five years with the Rams and eight with the Packers before playing his final season with the Vikings, is the leader.
Here are the top five:
Carroll Dale 51-1006-9
Randy Moss 39-747-77
Justin Jefferson 43-730-2
Donald Driver 55-726-6
Greg Jennings 33-583-5
More on Jefferson
Jefferson needs 21 yards for his third career 1,500-yard season and become the sixth player all-time with three such seasons. Jerry Rice, who played 20 seasons has the record of four.
Jefferson also needs seven receptions to pass Steve Jordan (498) for fourth in Vikings history and eight to reach the 500-catch mark.
Here are the top 10 in career receptions for the Vikings:
Cris Carter 1004
Randy Moss 587
Adam Thielen 534
Steve Jordan 498
Justin Jefferson 492
Anthony Carter 478
Kyle Rudolph 453
Jake Reed 413
Ahmad Rashad 400
Sammy White 393
High scorers
Detroit's offense leads the league with 33.1 points per game. The only other teams in the 30s are Buffalo (31.8) and Baltimore (30.2).
The Vikings are averaging 26.4 points per game.
There have only been 10 teams in NFL history that have scored more points through 16 games than the 533 by the Lions this season. The 1998 Vikings are one of them.
The NFL began a 16-game regular season in 1978 and adopted a 17-game schedule in 2021.
Here are the top 10 teams through 16 games. Listed are points, team and season.
606: Denver Broncos, 2013
589: New England Patriots, 2007
565: Kansas City Chiefs, 2018
560: Green Bay Packers, 2011
557: New England Patriots, 2012
556: Minnesota Vikings, 1998
547: New Orleans Saints, 2011
541: Washington Redskins, 1983
540: Atlanta Falcons, 2016
540, St. Louis Rams, 2000
Protecting the ball
Detroit has had a historically dominant season in terms of points combined with taking care of the football.
The Lions are the first team with five games in a season of 40-plus points and zero turnovers. They're undefeated in those circumstances.
The only teams with four such games are the 2024 Bills (3-1) and the 2019 Ravens (4-0).
Nine teams have done it three times, dating to the Rock Island Independents in 1920.
Fourth down juggernauts
The Next Gen Stats Analytics Team introduced its machine-learning "Decision Guide" in 2021.
Coaches were crunching numbers and deciding whether they should risk the biscuit and go for it on fourth down long before one of the industry leaders developed a series of tools that breaks down outcomes in real time, but the implementation of it acutely stressed the shift in the football world.
It helped fans understand the potential rewards of keeping the ball in the quarterback's hands and leaving punters and kickers in the warm-up zone. Ironically, the NGS Decision Guide coincided with Dan Campbell being hired by Detroit.
As the leader of the Lions, Campbell has instructed the offense to stay on the field and attempt to convert on fourth down on 147 occasions since 2021. Detroit has succeeded 82 times (55.8%). Both lead the NFL in that time frame.
By comparison, Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell, who was hired in 2022, has gone for it on fourth down 58 times and converted 32 (55.2%). In that span, Campbell's group has tried and thrived on 61 of 106 (57.5%). In 2024, Detroit's 20 conversions on fourth ranks third; Minnesota's six is dead last.
The Vikings have a defense equipped to counteract Campbell's aggressiveness.
Minnesota has succumbed on 11 instances out of 31 dice rolls (35.5%).
It's the stiffest fourth-down defense in the league by a fat margin. Baltimore and Detroit are tied for next at 46.2% (both 12 of 26).
Sam Darnold
With one more touchdown pass, Sam Darnold solely will rank second all-time in one season by a Vikings QB and only trail 39 by Daunte Culpepper in 2004.
If he posts a passer rating of 100 or higher, he will tie the NFL record of 14 such games in a season, which was set by Aaron Rodgers in 2020.
If he throws more than one touchdown, it will be his 13th game of 2024 with two-plus scoring passes and break a team record set by Kirk Cousins in 2020 and matched in 2021.
Here are the top 10 single-season touchdown pass totals for the Vikings. Listed are TD passes, name and season.
39: Daunte Culpepper, 2004
35: Kirk Cousins, 2020
35: Sam Darnold, 2024
34: Randall Cunningham, 1998
33; Warren Moon, 1995
33: Kirk Cousins, 2021
32: Brett Favre, 2009
30: Kirk Cousins, 2018
29: Kirk Cousins, 2022
Returning a favor
On Christmas Eve in 2023, the Lions came into U.S. Bank Stadium and walked out as NFC North champions with a 30-24 win.
Two weeks after that the Vikings traveled to Ford Field and had to watch the Lions celebrate that division title and they beat Minnesota again, 30-20.
“It doesn’t sit well with us,” Justin Jefferson told NFL.com said this week. “It’s definitely something that we remember.”
That feeling persists on both sides of the ball.
“I’ve been waiting for this,” safety Josh Metellus said. “I’ve still got a bad taste in my mouth.”
Vikes won 1969 showdown
The previous biggest game in Vikings’ regular season history may have occurred in 1969.
On Dec. 7 of that year 10-1 Minnesota and the 11-0 Los Angeles Rams squared off at the Los Angeles Coliseum in The Game of The Year.
The Vikings won their 11th in a row thanks to a powerful rushing attack, as Joe Kapp was only 8-for-16 passing for 72 yards all afternoon. Dave Osborn and Bill Brown each rushed for a TD for Minnesota. Fred Cox kicked two field goals.
Nobody could have guessed that George Allen’s Rams had already captured their final win of the season.
They would lose two more to close out the regular season, losing at Detroit and at home to Baltimore before a 23-20 loss to the Vikings in the Western Conference Playoff at Metropolitan Stadium.
Minnesota would follow up the win over L.A. with a home win over San Francisco before losing at Atlanta to finish the regular season 12-2.
In the postseason the Vikings beat the Rams, routed Cleveland in the final NFL championship game and then lost to Kansas City in the Super Bowl.
Here’s a look at the Vikings’ 1969 regular season win over the Rams:
Pro Bowlers
The Vikings had six players named to the Pro Bowl this week and the Lions had seven.
Here’s the list, with the number of selections for each player in parenthsis.
Minnesota
WR Justin Jefferson (4)
LS Andrew DePaola (3)
LB Jonathan Greenard (1)
LB Andrew Van Ginkel (1)
CB Byron Murphy Jr. (1)
QB Sam Darnold (1)
Detroit
C Frank Ragnow (4)
S Brian Branch (1)
P Jack Fox (2)
QB Jared Goff (4)
T Penei Sewell (3)
RB Jahmyr Gibbs (2)
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (3)
Series highlights
Games: 126
Series: Vikings lead 80-44-2
First meeting: 1961, Detroit Lions 37, Minnesota Vikings 10
Last meeting: 2024, Detroit Lions 31, Minnesota Vikings 29
Current streak: Detroit has won 4 straight
Longest Vikings win streak: 13 (1968-1973)
Longest Lions win streak: 5 (1961-1963)
Most Vikings points: 44 (1988)
Most Lions points: 45 (1978, 1981)
Vikings shutouts: 4 (1969, 1980, 1988, 1993)
Lions shutouts: None
Scores
Scores in the series between the Vikings and Lions.
11-19-1961: Detroit Lions 37, Minnesota Vikings 10
12-10-1961: Detroit Lions 13, Minnesota Vikings 7
11-18-1962: Detroit Lions 17, Minnesota Vikings 6
12-09-1962: Detroit Lions 37, Minnesota Vikings 23
10-27-1963: Detroit Lions 28, Minnesota Vikings 10
11-24-1963: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 31
10-11-1964: Detroit Lions 24, Minnesota Vikings 20
11-22-1964: Minnesota Vikings 23, Detroit Lions 23 (tie)
09-26-1965: Detroit Lions 31, Minnesota Vikings 29
12-12-1965: Minnesota Vikings 29, Deroit Lions 7
11-13-1966: Detroit Lions 32, Minnesota Vikings 31
12-11-1966: Minnesota Vikings 28, Detroit Lions 16
11-12-1967: Minnesota Vikings 10, Detroit Lions 10 (tie)
12-17-1967: Detroit Lions 14, Minnesota Vikings 3
10-06-1968: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 10
11-17-1968: Minnesota Vikings 13, Detroit Lions 6
10-26-1969: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 10
11-27-1969: Minnesota Vikings 27, Detroit Lions 0
11-01-1970: Minnesota Vikings 30, Detroit Lions 17
11-15-1970: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 20
09-20-1971: Minnesota Vikings 16, Detroit Lions 13
12-11-1971: Minnesota Vikings 29, Detroit Lions 10
09-24-1972: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 10
11-12-1972: Minnesota Vikings 16, Detroit Lions 14
10-07-1973: Minnesota Vikings 23, Detroit Lions 9
11-11-1973: Minnesota Vikings 28, Detroit Lions 7
09-22-1974: Minnesota Vikings 7, Detroit Lions 6
10-20-1974: Detroit Lions 20, Minnesota Vikings 16
10-19-1975: Minnesota Vikings 25, Detroit Lions 19
12-14-1975: Detroit Lions 17, Minnesota Vikings 10
09-26-1976: Minnesota Vikings 10, Detroit Lions 9
11-07-1976: Minnesota Vikings 31, Detroit Lions 23
10-09-1977: Minnesota Vikings 14, Detroit Lions 7
12-17-1977: Minnesota Vikings 30, Detroit Lions 21
11-05-1978: Minnesota Vikings 17, Detroit Lions 7
12-09-1978: Detroit Lions 45, Minnesota Vikings 14
09-30-1979: Minnesota Vikings 13, Detroit Lions 10
11-18-1979: Minnesota Vikings 14, Detroit Lions 7
09-28-1980: Detroit Lions 27, Minnesota Vikings 7
11-09-1980: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 0
09-20-1981: Minnesota Vikings 26, Detroit Lions 24
12-12-1981: Detroit Lions 45, Minnesota Vikings 7
12-19-1982: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 31
09-25-1983: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 17
12-05-1983: Detroit Lions 13, Minnesota Vikings 2
09-23-1984: Minnesota Vikings 29, Detroit Lions 28
10-21-1984: Detroit Lions 16, Minnesota Vikings 14
11-03-1985: Minnesota Vikings 16, Detroit Lions 13
11-17-1985: Detroit Lions 41, Minnesota Vikings 21
09-07-1986: Detroit Lions 13, Minnesota Vikings 10
11-09-1986: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 10
09-13-1987: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 19
12-20-1987: Minnesota Vikings 17, Detroit Lions 14
11-06-1988: Minnesota Vikings 44, Detroit Lions 17
11-24-1988: Minnesota Vikings 23, Detroit Lions 0
10-08-1989: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 17
10-22-1989: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 7
10-07-1990: Detroit Lions 34, Minnesota Vikings 27
11-11-1990: Minnesota Vikings 17, Detroit Lions 7
10-06-1991: Detroit Lions 24, Minnesota Vikings 20
11-24-1991: Detroit Lions 34, Minnesota Vikings 14
09-13-1992: Detroit Lions 31, Minnesota Vikings 17
10-15-1992: Minnesota Vikings 31, Detroit Lions 14
10-31-1993: Detroit Lions 30, Minnesota Vikings 27
12-05-1993: Minnesota Vikings 13, Detroit Lions 0
09-11-1994: Minnesota Vikings 10, Detroit Lions 3
12-17-1994: Detroit Lions 41, Minnesota Vikings 19
09-10-1995: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 10
11-23-1995: Detroit Lions 44, Minnesota Vikings 38
09-01-1996: Minnesota Vikings 17, Detroit Lions 13
12-08-1996: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 22
11-16-1997: Detroit Lions 38, Minnesota Vikings 15
12-14-1997: Detroit Lions 14, Minnesota Vikings 13
09-20-1998: Minnesota Vikings 29, Detroit Lions 6
10-25-1998: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 13
10-17-1999: Detroit Lions 25, Minnesota Vikings 23
01-02-2000: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 17
10-01-2000: Minnesota Vikings 31, Detroit Lions 24
11-30-2000: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 17
10-14-2001: Minnesota Vikings 31, Detroit Lions 26
12-16-2001: Detroit Lions 27, Minnesota Vikings 24
10-13-2002: Minnesota Vikings 31, Detroit Lions 24
12-29-2002: Minnesota Vikings 38, Detroit Lions 36
09-21-2003: Minnesota Vikings 23, Detroit Lions 13
11-23-2003: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 13
11-21-2004: Minnesota Vikings 22, Detroit Lions 19
12-19-2004: Minnesota Vikings 28, Detroit Lions 27
11-06-2005: Minnesota Vikings 27, Detroit Lions 14
12-04-2005: Minnesota Vikings 21, Detroit Lions 16
10-08-2006: Minnesota Vikings 26, Detroit Lions 17
12-10-2006: Minnesota Vikings 30, Detroit Lions 20
09-16-2007: Detroit Lions 20, Minnesota Vikings 17 (OT)
12-02-2007: Minnesota Vikings 42, Detroit Lions 10
10-12-2008: Minnesota Vikings 12, Detroit Lions 10
12-07-2008: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 16
09-20-2009: Minnesota Vikings 27, Detroit Lions 13
11-15-2009: Minnesota Vikings 27, Detroit Lions 10
09-26-2010: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 10
01-02-2011: Detroit Lions 20, Minnesota Vikings 13
09-25-2011: Detroit Lions 26, Minnesota Vikings 23 (OT)
12-11-2011: Detroit Lions 34, Minnesota Vikings 28
09-30-2012: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 13
11-11-2012: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 24
09-08-2013: Detroit Lions 34, Minnesota Vikings 28
12-29-2013: Minnesota Vikings 14, Detroit Lions 13
10-12-2014: Detroit Lions 17, Minnesota Vikings 3
12-14-2014: Detroit Lions 16, Minnesota Vikings 14
09-20-2015: Minnesota Vikings 26, Detroit Lions 16
10-25-2015: Minnesota Vikings 28, Detroit Lions 19
11-06-2016: Detroit Lions 22, Minnesota Vikings 16 (OT)
11-24-2016: Detroit Lions 16, Minnesota Vikings 13
10-01-2017: Detroit Lions 14, Minnesota Vikings 7
11-23-2017: Minnesota Vikings 30, Detroit Lions 23
11-04-2018: Minnesota Vikings 24, Detroit Lions 9
12-23-2018: Minnesota Vikings 27, Detroit Lions 9
10-20-2019: Minnesota Vikings 42, Detroit Lions 30
12-08-2019: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 7
11-08-2020: Minnesota Vikings 34, Detroit Lions 20
01-03-2021: Minnesota Vikings 37, Detroit Lions 35
10-10-2021: Minnesota Vikings 19, Detroit Lions 17
12-05-2021: Detroit Lions 29, Minnesota Vikings 27
09-25-2022: Minnesota Vikings 28, Detroit Lions 24
12-11-2022: Detroit Lions 34, Minnesota Vikings 23
12-24-2023: Detroit Lions 30, Minnesota Vikings 24
01-07-2024: Detroit Lions 30, Minnesota Vikings 20
10-20-2024: Detroit Lions 31, Minnesota Vikings 29
Points scored: Minnesota Vikings 2786, Detroit Lions 2404
Sources: Detroit Lions, EliasSports, Minnesota Vikings, NFL Research, profootballreference.com, statmuse