Why Vikings Being Threat to Lions Is Overreaction

Lions and Vikings will play in Week 7.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) / David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Minnesota Vikings are the talk of the NFL world.

Their 5-0 start to the 2024 season has led many to ponder if the Vikings are legitimate NFC contenders.

Detroit was able to secure its first division title in decades last season. No question, repeating will be a challenge for Dan Campbell's squad, as all the teams in the division currently boast winning records.

ESPN NFL writer Dan Graziano recently explored the biggest Week 5 overreactions.

The Vikings schedule, outside of division games, is not all that daunting.

Kevin O'Connell has been able to resurrect the career of quarterback Sam Darnold, who has taken advantage of the weapons available to him on offense.

According to Graziano, "The good news about the Vikings' 5-0 start is that 71 of the 85 teams that have started 5-0 in the Super Bowl era have gone on to make the playoffs. The bad news is that the last team that didn't was ... the 2016 Vikings, who crashed to an 8-8 record after a 5-0 start."

Minnesota has a win against the Packers already, but the Week 7 home contest against the Lions looms large.

"It's just still too soon, and the NFC North is still too tough, to say something like this with certainty, especially with Darnold having looked a bit more turnover-prone the past couple of games," Graziano explained. "Let's let this one cook a while longer while everyone's enjoying it."

Detroit defeated Minnesota in both meetings last season. The Lions' Christmas Eve win at the Vikings clinched their first division title since the mid-90's.