Week 9: Five Detroit Lions Players to Watch vs. the Minnesota Vikings

1. QB Matthew Stafford

Stafford should be able to clear protocol in time to play Sunday. After a COVID scare, he was considered a high-risk contact and was originally not thought to be able to test negative enough times to play on Sunday. Things are looking good for the Quarterback so unless something big happens right before the game the Lions will have their face in the lineup.

2. WR Quintez Cephus

Cephus stepped up early in the year when he was called upon and once again on Sunday the Lions will need him to jump into the starting lineup. Cephus has been a healthy scratch for the last few weeks so he should be nice and rested as well as motivated to show what he can do in replacement of Kenny Golladay.

3. RB D’Andre Swift

Swift is coming off his worst performance of his career with six attempts for one yard. His snap count has gone up each of the last four weeks, however, so I expect that to continue even though his play has not warranted it. The rookie has shown he can play at a high level but seems to not be able to bring it all together at the same time.

4. DE Everson Griffen

Griffen will make his Lions debut on Sunday and it will be one of the more anticipated debuts for the Lions of a free agent in some time. Not only is Griffen a multi-time pro bowler, but he is also going up against his former team for some extra motivation.

5. CB Desmond Trufant

Trufant has missed multiple games this year, in fact, this will only be his third game played this year. Trufant was supposed to come in and take the places of veteran Darius Slay so the rookie Jeff Okudah does not have to do too much in his first year with no offseason due to COVID-19. However, his old injury bug has returned this season and he has been in and out of the lineup often.

Game Prediction:

This game depends on the health of the Lions. The Vikings won’t go easy on the Lions as they are coming off their second win of the year, which happens to come against the Green Bay Packers. I think because of the uncertainty with the Lions with of all of their potential missing players as well as Cook being able to take over games, I’ll take the Vikings in this one 21-17. So far this year, just like the Lions, I am 3-4 in my predictions this year.

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