Oh, how things change from one season to the next!
Late last year, the Minnesota Vikings were playing the Detroit Lions for the NFC’s No. 1 seed. This year? They face off in a Christmas Day matinee with little to play for (at least for the Vikings).
Neither team’s season has gone as expected. The pair will still earn the chance to put a more positive taste in the mouths of fans to end the year. What should we expect? As always, The Athletic’s Alec Lewis and Jon Krawczynski are here for a preview:
What I’m watching
Lewis: The U.S. Bank Stadium crowd. What will it look, sound and feel like with a 7-8 team? It’ll be fascinating to see the reaction if things go well for starting quarterback Max Brosmer. It’ll also be interesting to see the fallout if the game gets out of hand. Brosmer’s play is most interesting. His debut in Seattle was brutal. He looked more comfortable and confident last week in the second half against New York, but the Giants’ defense is not imposing. The Lions are more aggressive and will be playing for their playoff lives.
They will play man coverage, regardless of who they have available on the back end. Especially with Michael Jurgens playing center, Brosmer will have to keep calm in the pocket. If he can, and if he gets the ball out quickly as is his trademark, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him play well.
Krawczynski: My kids open presents. All you heathens who have your eyes glued to the TV need to do some soul searching! Just kidding. I’ll be watching the game, too. I want to see how Brosmer looks with a second bite at the starting apple. It couldn’t have gone much worse the first time around. That’s not surprising and shouldn’t be disqualifying. Good quarterbacks can even struggle the first time they’re thrust into action.
If Brosmer can come in and look a bit more in control, that would be a nice step forward and give some indication that he could factor into the quarterback room next season. He wasn’t bad against the Giants. Even though there isn’t much time to prepare for this one — and the opponent is much better — it would be good to see Brosmer continue to find more comfort out there.
Perhaps a change in the weather.#WinterWhiteout ❄️ pic.twitter.com/INIC84SoFz
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 24, 2025
Biggest concerns
Lewis: Detroit’s front seven. Aidan Hutchinson, Alim McNeil, Al-Quadin Muhammad, Marcus Davenport, D.J. Reader and Tyleik Williams present a tough test on the front. The Lions’ linebackers, Alex Anzalone and Jack Campbell, are capable, too. The Vikings won’t have left tackle Christian Darrisaw or center Ryan Kelly. Right tackle Brian O’Neill is also banged up (heel). Running the football might be tough, which would put more responsibility on Brosmer’s shoulders.
He might be capable in pass-specific situations, but the pressure will quickly converge on him. Turnovers via sack/fumble or sped-up interceptions are the simplest way that this could go off the rails. This is going to be difficult, as the Vikings will want to double-team interior defenders and supply chip help on the edge.
Krawczynski: The fact that the Vikings did not have a player chosen for the Pro Bowl. I know, I know. Who cares about the Pro Bowl anymore? Yet, at its most basic, it is at least a reflection of the talent on the roster. Of course, Justin Jefferson is an elite talent who has had a down year because of the quarterbacking issues.
However, beyond that, not having one other player good enough to be named to the most meaningless exhibition is a red flag. Injuries to Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Darrisaw and O’Neill certainly played a role, but none of them were playing outstanding when they were healthy, either. Look around the roster. Who can we say with confidence will be in that Pro Bowl conversation next season, outside of Jefferson and Greenard? Jalen Redmond? The roster lacks juice right now. There is a lot of work to be done.
Most interesting matchup
Lewis: Jared Goff versus the Vikings pass rush. Minnesota had a beautiful plan in the Week 9 victory over Detroit. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores schemed crossdog blitzes with linebackers Blake Cashman and Eric Wilson, essentially taking elite running back Jahmyr Gibbs out the game. Will Minnesota enact a similar approach this time around? Goff’s lack of athleticism makes him susceptible to interior pressure.
The Vikings are likely to make the Lions prove they’ve found an answer. Detroit’s interior offensive line has been one of the reasons for the team’s lackluster season. Left guard Christian Mahogany, center Graham Glasgow and right guard Tate Ratledge have not played to the level of Detroit’s past interior linemen. That has hurt the run game. It has also affected Goff, who needs space and time in the pocket to be lethal downfield.
Krawczynski: Minnesota’s defense against Jahmyr Gibbs. It’s to the point now where I think Gibbs might be the best player in the league. I think he is definitely the best non-quarterback in the league. Explosive, versatile, shifty. Every time he touches the ball, I take a deep breath and wait for the show to start. He has scored 48 touchdowns in his career, the most by a player in his first three seasons. And he still has two games to go.
Gibbs broke the record held by Barry Sanders, my all-time favorite player. Whenever you’re in that company, especially with a mark that is indicative of consistent success, that is quite an achievement. The Vikings’ defense has been very, very good lately. But this will be its biggest test yet.
Most interesting storyline
Lewis: What are the Vikings going to do at quarterback this offseason? J.J. McCarthy showed promise in 10 quarters against the Washington Commanders (whose defense is ranked 29th in the league), Dallas Cowboys (32nd) and Giants (27th). Was his improved decisiveness and accuracy enough to prevent Minnesota from going after a quarterback who could compete with him in training camp? McCarthy could return in Week 18 from the hairline fracture in his right hand and offer a closing argument.
Still, even though his development was always going to take time, the Vikings’ top decision-makers are about to complete their fourth season without a playoff win. Who could they bring in? The offseason will provide ample time to evaluate the options.
Krawczynski: Can Brosmer wedge himself into the backup quarterback discussion for next season? After McCarthy showed significant improvement in wins over the Cowboys and Commanders, the right thing to do is to enter the offseason with plans to bring him back as the starter. If that happens, there will be a big push for the Vikings to add an accomplished veteran as a backup, especially given McCarthy’s injury history. That is probably the best thing.
However, if Brosmer can play well against Detroit and Green Bay, would that be enough for Brosmer to be his backup? My guess is he would need to put up some pretty big numbers to convince the Vikings to trust him in that spot. Though I don’t think it’s outside the realm of possibility.
How these teams match up from a data standpoint
Here is where each team ranks in 2025 in the following categories, using explosive play rate for explosiveness, success rate for efficiency and DVOA’s strength of schedule:
Vikings
Lions
Off turnovers
32nd
1st
Def turnovers
23rd
13th
Off explosiveness
15th
3rd
Def explosiveness
11th
22nd
Off efficiency
23rd
15th
Def efficiency
15th
6th
Strength of schedule
15th
17th
Predictions
Lewis: Lions 24, Vikings 20. This is a hard one to predict. I’m not sure if the Lions will be able to stop Flores’ attack on their offensive line. I also think Brosmer is going to show major improvement from his start against the Seahawks. It’s just hard to pick the Vikings with how this season has played out. Entertainment and an elite Snoop Dogg performance will suffice.
Krawczynski: Lions 24, Vikings 17. The Lions are banged up along the offensive line, and star receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown has been dealing with some nagging injuries as well. Yet, the Lions are going to break the Minnesota defense’s incredible six-game streak of not allowing a touchdown pass. I also don’t think Brosmer will be able to generate enough offense to win, even at home.