'Great job': Lions blogger tries to minimize Vikings' amazing season

Good try, but the Lions shouldn't get too comfortable believing the lie.

A Detroit Lions fan dresses as Grinch walk by fans in line before the game between Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the inspirational quote (I saw on Pinterest) reads, it's "better to get hurt by the truth than comforted with a lie."

We're not the prosecution in this case, but it appears that a Detroit Lions blogger could be charged with being more comfortable in a lie than acknowledging the truth about the Minnesota Vikings.

Evidence of such a crime against the Purple can be traced to the social media platform X, where the Detroit Lions on Tap account minimized Minnesota's successful season, exclaiming with obvious sarcasm "Great job" after pointing out the Vikings' modest strength of victory statistic.

The Minnesota Vikings are 12-2 with a .387 strength of victory. Their opponents have a combined record of 85-111.

This is the 6th lowest strength of victory in the NFC, with three of those teams lower than them already being eliminated the playoffs.

Great job. pic.twitter.com/lBIELa2xk3

— Detroit Lions on Tap (@LionsOnTap) December 17, 2024

Was it a crime of passion? Was it self-defense?

Only Lions on Tap knows the truth, but speaking of defense, the Vikings have one of the NFL's best scoring defenses and are second in the league in forced turnovers (28) while the Lions will be starting many second- and third-stringers the rest of the season after a barrage of injuries dampened the hopes and dreams of a long-suffering fanbase.

That's why guys like former All-Pro running back Maurice Jones-Drew like the Vikings to win the NFC North over the Lions. The division title could come down to Week 18 when Detroit hosts Minnesota.

At 12-2, the Vikings started the season 5-0, lost two of three and have since rattled off seven wins in a row. One cannot help but point out that standout middle linebacker Blake Cashman did not play in either of Minnesota's losses, which came against the Lions and Rams — both road games — in the span of four days. They're undefeated with Cashman on the field.

If a healthier version of the Lions narrowly beat the Vikings 31-29 earlier in the season, then what evidence does Lions on Tap have to truly suggest the Vikings aren't one of the best teams in the NFL?

Need we point out how statistically similar that matchup in Minneapolis was on Oct. 20? Okay, fine.

Stats	Lions	Vikings
3rd downs	4-of-10	4-of-10
Total yards	391	383
Yards per play	7.0	7.4
Pass yards	247	244
Times sacked	4	4
Rush yards	144	139
Yards per rush	5.3	6.6
Penalties	8	8
Turnovers	1	1
Possession	29:03	30:57

Need we also point out that the Vikings have built double-digit leads in all but three games? Okay, fine. Take a look at Minnesota's largest lead in every game this season.

• Week 1 Giants: 22 points

• Week 2 49ers: 13

• Week 3 Texans: 27

• Week 4 Packers: 28

• Week 5 Jets: 17

• Week 7 Lions: 10

• Week 8 Rams: 7

• Week 9 Colts: 11

• Week 10 Jaguars: 5

• Week 11 Titans: 13

• Week 12 Bears: 14

• Week 13 Cardinals: 1

• Week 14 Falcons: 21

• Week 15 Bears: 21

It's also worth noting that the Vikings stomped the 49ers before the 49ers were completely devastated by injuries. And they walloped the Texans before Nico Collins suffered a hamstring injury. And they were killing the Packers 28-0 before Green Bay stormed back to make the final score look more respectable.

There's no question that the Vikings have gone through an easier stretch against the Jaguars, Titans and Bears (twice) in the past six weeks, but they've taken care of business like good teams do. That should be applauded, not invalidated.

Wait. We just thought of something. What if it's Vikings fans who are living the lie?!

Oh, for (Rodney) Peete's sake, it's so hard to live in a blended reality.

Let's just move on and let the truth come out in Week 18 and the postseason.

---

---

Stay up to date on all things Vikings by bookmarking Minnesota Vikings On SI, subscribing to our YouTube channel, and signing up to receive our free Vikings newsletter.