3 Takeaways from Vikings-Lions

The Lions struggle to defend Vikings offense, injuries hamper Lions in 42-30 loss at home

On a day when the Lions needed several facets of their game to be clicking, the supposed strength of the team let them down. 

The Vikings were able to score at will on the Lions' defense, at one point scoring touchdowns on four consecutive drives.

 

Vikings offense has scored TDs on 4 straight drives. Defense has not played as well.

— Guy N. Limbeck (@PBglimbeck) October 20, 2019

To make matters worse, the Lions suffered a rash of injuries. 

Running back Kerryon Johnson and cornerback Darius Slay were unavailable for the second half. They both were ruled out due to a left knee and hamstring injury, respectively.

When the Lions needed to make a big stop on defense, the Vikings seemingly had the right play dialed up every time.  

Here are 3 takeaways from today's Vikings-Lions contest at Ford Field: 

Marvin Jones Came to Play  

Wide receiver Marvin Jones Jr. was the spark on offense the Lions needed. 

He had two touchdowns in the first quarter, as well as three total touchdowns in the first half. 

He ended his day with four TDs. 

The Lions have been heavily criticized in 2019 because of the difficulties they've experienced with putting the ball in the end zone. 

Today against the Vikings, the Lions were determined to change the narrative and score touchdowns. 

Jones was the beneficiary of improved execution on offense.

Lions' Defensive Scheme Needs to Be Seriously Evaluated

The Vikings were able to execute their scheme without much pressure from the Lions. 

Vikings passer Kirk Cousins was not sacked all game long, and consistently had way too much time in the pocket.  

The lack of pressure, inconsistent tackling and a rush defense that simply cannot stop top-tier running backs are not helping the Lions meet their goals. 

With the Lions trailing in the fourth quarter, the Vikings were able to march down the field and score a touchdown on a pass from Cousins to tight end Kyle Rudolph. 

If you can find away to take away the Vikings' play-action crossing patterns I'd bet their offense falls apart.

— Justin Rogers | Detroit Football Network (@Justin_Rogers) October 20, 2019

Injury Bug Rears Ugly Head for Detroit 

Playing on Monday Night Football and having a short turnaround is never easy, even for highly skilled NFL athletes. 

An insufficient amount of time to recover increases the likelihood of injury, especially for players constantly dealing with nagging injuries.

The Lions were hampered by injuries throughout the game. 

Without key contributors in Johnson and Slay, it proved to be too much of a challenge for the Lions to overcome against the Vikings.

More: Darius Slay and Kerryon Johnson Leave Sunday's Game with Vikings Early Due to Injury