Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images Check out this week’s bold prediction as the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC North. The Detroit Lions are hosting the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night with a lot on the line. The NFC North, the number one seed in the NFC playoffs, and as a result, home field advantage in the playoffs are all on the line. As those of you subscribed to POD Direct Newsletter already know, it’s the winningest regular season matchup between two teams in NFL history, with a combined 28 wins entering the game. There’s a lot at stake, and there’s sure to be a lot of firepower on display. Bold prediction of the week: Jared Goff bests Vikings DC Brian Flores, throws for 400+ yards Brian Flores is one of the best defensive coordinators in the NFL. Since he came to Minnesota almost two seasons ago, the discourse around his matchups with the Lions always surround how he can get in Jared Goff’s head. After all, Flores has managed to do so time and time again against some of the best quarterbacks in the league. Three matchups later, Flores has had no such luck against the Lions quarterback. Goff is 3-0 against Brian Flores, and has played some of his most efficient football in those wins. Jared Goff’s last three games vs Vikings Defense/Brian Flores:• 75/97 Passing (77.3%)• 857 Passing Yards (8.8 Yards/Attempt)• 5 Passing TDs (1 Rushing TD)• 0 Interceptions• 120.5 Passer Rating• 44 Passing 1st Downs (14.67/Game)• 57.3% Success Rate— Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) January 3, 2025 As the two enter matchup number four, we will wait and see what happens as an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. The Vikings enter Week 18 with the first-ranked DVOA pass defense, while Jared Goff has had indisputably his best season of his career, both on paper and on film. He’s playing MVP-level football. The last three times these teams matched up, Goff played clean football, but he hasn’t popped off the stat sheet. He has only eclipsed the 300-yard passing mark once, doing so in the Lions’ 30-20 victory to close out the 2023 regular season. However, Goff is playing a new level of football, and recent weeks indicate that he may just break out in this regular season finale. Goff has eclipsed 300 passing yards in each of his last three games, doing so against three very respectable defenses in the Bills, Bears, and 49ers. The highlight of that stretch was Goff’s 494-yard performance against the Bills, showing that when he needs to get into a shootout, he can. He’ll look to repeat that against the Vikings while the Lions defense still navigates several injury gaps. Goff should have the support to do so, too. While the Lions offensive line has struggled down the stretch of the season, they had their best game in recent memory on Monday night against the 49ers. It was highlighted by the return of left guard Graham Glasgow from injury, and Glasgow looked sharp and revitalized as the interior offensive line crafted a flawless pocket for Goff to step into all night. They’ll look to do the same Sunday night against the Vikings’ pass rush unit led by Jonathan Greenard. Even if they can’t, Goff has shown a vastly improved ability to move laterally and throw on the run over the second half of the season, something we didn’t see much of the first time these two teams met this year. The Lions may be forced to throw if Goff can keep playing the clean brand of football we’ve seen out of him lately. The Vikings defense boasts the third-best run defense per DVOA, and with David Montgomery out of the lineup, it’s to be determined how well Jahmyr Gibbs can combine speed with brute force against Minnesota’s front seven. Gibbs struggled in short-yardage against the Bears, but looked sharp in the same situation against the 49ers. If he struggles again, the Lions may lean more into the passing game. It’s a perfect storm for a shootout, and an even more perfect storm for another MVP-caliber performance from Jared Goff. Whether he can keep his hot streak going against the Vikings is to be determined. But if the Lions defense keeps playing the way they have in recent weeks, the Lions passing offense will have no choice but to get aggressive. I’m betting on another stellar performance from Goff when it matters most, this time crossing the 400-yard passing barrier against the Vikings.