The Detroit Lions fly to Minneapolis with a slim, real path. Win at the Vikings on Christmas. Win at the Bears in Chicago. Hope the Packers lose out. That is the math. It is not pretty, but it exists. The other motivator is pride. Going from the best record in the NFC last year to the basement in the NFC North will not sit well with Dan Campbell or his locker room. The Lions are favored. They should play like a team with playoff vitality.

Context matters in December in the NFL. Detroit needs urgency and clean execution. The margin is small. The opponent is wounded, not harmless.

Minnesota ruled out JJ McCarthy on Tuesday afternoon. A hairline fracture in his hand ends his season. In comes Max Brosmer. He is an undrafted rookie with one start and mop-up reps. He has an arm and workable accuracy. He lost to the Seahawks, which happens to many. He is not Aaron Rodgers or Matthew Stafford. He is not even a fully healthy Jordan Love. That is a reprieve for a Detroit defense that has seen a run of top quarterbacks.

The Vikings are battered elsewhere. Christian Darrisaw, their left tackle, is out. They have shut players down after elimination, similar to how the Lions just shut down Kirby Joseph. The depth chart is thin, but the skill talent around Brosmer still gives structure. Detroit must turn those absences into pressure and turnovers.

Here is the problem for the Lions offense. The Vikings have not allowed a passing touchdown in six straight games. That is the first time a team has done it since the 1989 Browns. This is a legit unit. They blitzed the Lions to great effect in the first meeting. They hammered the A gap. They made life hard for Jared Goff.

Detroit’s passing game has been inconsistent. Goff has been pretty good, but the interior pass protection must be better. Answers versus the A-gap pressure are non-negotiable. Quick decisions. Firm guards and center. Defined hot routes. Detroit Lions Podcast coverage this week centers on interior protection, blitz answers, and a battered Vikings offense. If the Lions cannot block inside, points will be scarce again.

This sets up a grind. Expect Detroit to lean on pass rush against a backup left tackle and an inexperienced quarterback. Expect Minnesota to heat up Goff and test Detroit’s A-gap integrity. Field position matters. So do red zone calls when passing touchdowns are hard to find.

Win, and the Lions keep the playoff thread intact and roll into Chicago with purpose. Lose, and last place looms. The formula is simple. Protect the pocket inside. Tackle after the catch. Finish drives with touchdowns. It is Christmas in the NFL. Style points can wait. The Lions need a road win to keep the season alive.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices