WK 08 ~ Lions Week ~ Discussion, Pressers, News, etc.

The #Vikings first injury report of Week 8 pic.twitter.com/5sNsKWoHsS

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 28, 2026

The last time the Lions saw Harrison Smith, he was blowing kisses at the U.S. Bank Stadium videoboard on Christmas.

Dec. 25, 2025, the Vikings already out of the race, the Lions still alive. Smith sacked Jared Goff on Detroit's third snap, then picked him off (career No. 39, his fifth against the Lions) and added two tackles for loss and three pass breakups. Brian Flores' defense took the ball away six times and sacked Goff five times, and the offense never turned it over. Max Brosmer threw for 51 yards and it didn't matter. Jordan Addison's 65-yard jet sweep sealed it: Vikings 23, Lions 10, Detroit eliminated.

Smith thought about firing the interception into the stands, then kept it. "I'm 36 years old," he said. "It's like being a kid." On the fans who filled the place in white with nothing left to play for: "Everybody shows up in white. They do their part," he said, voice cracking. "And one of these days, they'll get it."

He came back for a 15th season. The Vikings are 6-0, the only unbeaten team left, and Sunday at noon they're at Ford Field. One of these days. Nobody say it out loud.

Photo: Minnesota Vikings

JustInTime wrote:

https://twitter.com/scottfish24/status/2115540425578787068

It takes a lot for me to be gobsmacked in pro sports anymore...

But that white-out game vs Detroit last year?

And considering what was on the line for them vs us?

And Max F'ing Brosmer starting??!

purplefaithful wrote:

It takes a lot for me to be gobsmacked in pro sports anymore...
But that white-out game vs Detroit last year?
And considering what was on the line for them vs us?
And Max F'ing Brosmer starting??!

Yeah, Ben Johnson had the Viking's # with the Lions. Not sure meathead has that same ability to find a way. Flores has it, I will put my money on that.

greediron wrote:

Yeah, Ben Johnson had the Viking's # with the Lions. Not sure meathead has that same ability to find a way. Flores has it, I will put my money on that.

Want to see our offense take a couple steps forward and look like its hitting stride for this challenging next 4 games.

Halloween is on the horizon 👀 pic.twitter.com/f4syTV9NiB

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 28, 2026

The last matchup between the Vikings and Lions was pure cinema. pic.twitter.com/2aDOe3f8m2

— Jason Harmon (@JasonHarmonNFL) October 28, 2026

#Vikings WR Justin Jefferson says it’s on “everyone’s shoulders” to get the offense going:

“We feel like we have the guys in that room to make the plays and be one of the best offenses in the league.” pic.twitter.com/FJ1Y30EiY3

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 28, 2026

Name me another receiver that would act this way after a year and a half of an inconsistent offense.

“I definitely would love winning games over having that production.” pic.twitter.com/3dSgvpnLR4

— VikingzFanPage (@vikingzfanpage) October 28, 2026

If you thought Justin Jefferson was going to pop off about his lack of targets and career-low production through Week 7, amid the Vikings’ 6-0 start, you were wrong….

https://t.co/8TZXw6OZTM

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 28, 2026

EAGAN, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson said Wednesday that "it's definitely an in-between feeling" as his production languishes while he plays for the NFL's only undefeated team.

As the Vikings (6-0) adjust to new quarterback Kyler Murray, Jefferson has had the worst start in his seven-year career. His 60.4 receiving yards per game through Week 7 is 32% lower than his next-worst start to a season in 2025, when he averaged 88 yards. His 23 catches are also his lowest total through the first seven weeks of a season in his career.

Jefferson has missed one full game and most of another because of a sprained left ankle, and the Vikings have already had their bye. He cited those mitigating factors Wednesday in saying that he is not "too frustrated or just going to the higher-ups and asking for the ball."

All told, 71 NFL players have more targets than Jefferson (31) this season.

"I definitely would love winning games over having that production," Jefferson said. "There was definitely years before where I had that production and was not winning games. So it's definitely an in-between feeling on, you want to be the best player in the league, and you want to have that production to show you are the best player in the league, but we're winning games and we're the only team undefeated in the league.

"What we're doing right now [as a team] is working. Obviously there's things to do better and things to fix on the offensive side of things, but all in all, it's coming together and we're doing things to win games."

The Vikings will enter the most difficult portion of their schedule beginning this week at the Detroit Lions, a game that will be followed by matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. To this point, coach Kevin O'Connell has worked to get Murray more comfortable in the offense, while knowing his team has the best defense in the NFL and one of the league's top special teams. O'Connell's solution: Through seven weeks, the Vikings have the NFL's fourth-highest rate of designed runs (43.3%) and its second-fewest number of dropbacks (198).

"In the past we were throwing the ball a thousand times," O'Connell said Wednesday when asked about the drop in Jefferson's production. "That's one thing. When you lead the league or you're close to in rushing attempts on the early downs, controlling the game or attempting to control the game, there may not be just the amount of volume [of throws]. But he's our best player. We've got to find a way to continue to activate him."

Cricket wrote:

https://x.com/vikingzfanpage/status/2115583973124636752?a=QzEUq5YeNx_-WRHJWcU&s=20

I listened to this about 10 times. He is saying the preparation isn't there. Players need to work through the week to come prepared. Paraphrasing. Question was, how do you put it on your shoulders to figure this offense out. Again, paraphrasing. His response is it is on everyone to come prepared.

Could be nothing. But it sure could be everything. I had a lot of reservations about some things. Two things in particular.

I thought it was worth noting. During Jefferson's press conference, he never mentions Kylers name. Not a single time. Again, could be nothing.

purplefaithful wrote:

Want to see our offense take a couple steps forward and look like its hitting stride for this challenging next 4 games.

The Lions rank 32nd on defense. It's time to take it out on the highway and open it up. Because the kind of offense we're playing now is likely not going to hold up down the stretch.

Breakout game. Vikings 26, Lions 16. I promise.

MaroonBells wrote:

The Lions rank 32nd on defense. It's time to take it out on the highway and open it up. Because the kind of offense we're playing now is likely not going to hold up down the stretch.

There was a building connection with Hock until he got concussed. But, like everything else it’s been hits and misfires with zero consistency. Detroit should be the slump buster. This would be an opportune time to start connecting consistently.

This offense is just straight up weird. We’re second in TOP but 26th in 3rd down conversions. Now, if we were consistently getting chunk plays, that would make sense. ADOT is low too.

Week 8 - Vikings at Lions

🏟️ Ford Field
🏈 Sunday, Nov. 1 at Noon CT
📺 FOX - @kevinburkhardt, @TomBrady, @ErinAndrews and Tom Rinaldi
📻 KFAN 100.3 - @PAOnTheMic, @PeteBercich and @nacholeber
📻 Tico Sports - Gabriel Rios and Isaias Zendejas pic.twitter.com/gLBAs4l0sZ

— Vikings Communications (@VikingsPR) October 29, 2026