The Detroit Lions’ home game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, January 5 will determine the NFC North Division champion, regardless of whether Detroit wins their Monday Night Football matchup against the San Francisco 49ers. On Sunday, the NFL made a much-anticipated announcement regarding the Lions vs. Vikings game, which is especially important for fans of both teams, including those from Minnesota who will travel to Detroit to see their squad play at Ford Field. The league released its complete Week 18 schedule for January 4 and 5, confirming that the regular season will conclude in Detroit. The January 5 Lions vs. Vikings game has officially been moved to the 8:20 p.m. prime time slot on Sunday Night Football, offering both Dan Campbell’s and Kevin O’Connell’s teams a chance to wrap up the season in style. This matchup is a rematch of the October 20 game between the two division leaders in Minneapolis, where Campbell’s Lions pulled off a 31-29 victory after nearly losing a 21-10 halftime advantage. Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a near-perfect performance in the first encounter, completing 22 of 25 passes for 280 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions, outplaying Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold.
