How MNF Impacted Lions' Preparation for Vikings

Dan Campbell talks shortened week of prep for Vikings.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell and quarterback Jared Goff (16) watch a replay against San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Monday, Dec. 30, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions’ postseason unofficially starts Sunday night with their Week 18 showdown with the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions and the Vikings have totaled 28 wins through the season's first 17 weeks, the most ever combined victories for an NFL regular season matchup.

With a win Sunday, Detroit will not only clinch the NFC North crown, but will also secure the NFC's No. 1 seed, a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Meanwhile, with a loss, Dan Campbell's team will fall to the No. 5 seed and start the playoffs on the road.

The Lions and the Vikings have been two of the league's very best teams all season long. Minnesota, which is coming off a 27-25 victory against the Packers in Week 17, has won nine straight games. Meanwhile, Detroit, which is coming off a 40-34 triumph over the 49ers on Monday Night Football, has won two consecutive contests and 13 of its last 14 games.

Because of the Week 17 Monday Night Football contest, Campbell & Co. were handed a short week to prepare for their NFC North division rivals.

“(It) pushed everything by – call it a day and a half,” Campbell said of the MNF game's effect on the Lions’ week of prep for the Vikings. “You lose the day obviously. But, the west coast, trying to recover a little bit from that, just to have – you get a little bit of sleep to where you can get your brain going, get a little creativity back. So, that’s all, and then it’s really just on the front end of it, man, is that first – call it 24 hours, is really pushing hard there. And, we did that.”

This Week 18 tilt with Minnesota, by far, is Detroit's most anticipated matchup of the 2024 campaign. The Lions won their first meeting with the Vikings this season, topping Kevin O'Connell's team, 31-29, in Week 7 at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Campbell is excited for what he considers a “fairytale” ending to the regular season.  And, as he expressed Friday, he's seen his gameplan for Minnesota come together as the week has progressed.

“You don’t entirely know early in the week where everything’s at, where you’re at, where they’re at, how they’re going to play, how you want to play, what you’re going to need to do, what you think they’re going to do,” the fourth-year head coach said. “And as the week goes, you begin to, I think it comes into focus.”