2018 NFL Power Rankings, Week 17: Saints clinch NFC’s top seed
8. team. 60. . 8-6-1. Previous: . Minnesota Vikings
Recap: The Purple Gang made its way to the Motor City in position to sweep the Lions for the first time since 2015. Back in Week 9 at Minnesota, Mike Zimmer’s team sacked Matthew Stafford 10 times in a 24-9 win. The Vikings’ defense didn’t rack up big numbers in terms of the pass rush on Sunday but for the second time this year in this matchup, the Lions were limited to three field goals. In fact, Detroit owned a 9-0 second-quarter lead before Kirk Cousins and friends scored the final 27 points of the game. The much-maligned quarterback threw for 352 yards and three scores, the biggest a 44-yard “Hail Mary” toss to Kyle Rudolph on the final play of the first half.
Next Week: The Purple Gang will close 2018 by hosting the NFC North champion Chicago Bears. Back on a Sunday night at Soldier Field in Week 11, Zimmer’s club took it on the chin, 25-20. But now the scene shifts to the Twin Cities, where the Vikings have prevailed in the last six meetings between these longtime divisional rivals.
Playoff hopes: It’s pretty simple when it comes to the Purple Gang. Defeat the visiting Bears next Sunday and the team returns to the playoffs for the second straight season. And you would have to go back to the 2008 and ’09 seasons to find the last time the Vikings reached the postseason in consecutive years.
Next: No. 7