Last meeting
In Week 2, the Lions edged the Vikings 20-17 in overtime. Jon Kitna sat out half the game with a concussion but returned to action in the fourth quarter. He threw for 245 yards and one touchdown.
Streaks
The Vikings have won 10 of the last 11 meetings and dominate the overall series 60-30-2.
Last week
The Lions lost 37-26 to the Packers on Thanksgiving after the team mounted a late comeback that fell short. The Vikings stunned the Giants, picking off Eli Manning four times and running three of the interceptions back for touchdowns. Minnesota's 41-17 win was paced on offense by a mistake-free Tarvaris Jackson, who finished 10-of-12 for 129 yards and one touchdown.
At stake
This is a pivotal NFC North game as both teams need a win (and some help from other teams) to hang on to any playoff hopes in the cloudy NFC. While the Lions look to halt a three-game skid, the Vikings have won three of their last four games. The Lions have one of the toughest remaining schedules of the playoff contenders, facing opponents with a combined record of 35-20.
Key matchup
Vikings running backs vs. Lions run defense. Adrian Peterson should be back this week for the Vikings after sitting out the last two games with a knee injury. He still leads the league in rushing, and the combination of Peterson and Chester Taylor will boost the confidence of QB Tarvaris Jackson, who threw four interceptions the last time he faced the Lions.
Did you know?
Lions QB Jon Kitna needs only 103 passing yards to reach 3,000 for the sixth time in his career. ... Vikings DE Brian Robison leads NFC rookies with 4.5 sacks. ... The Lions have forced an NFL-high 34 fumbles this season.
