5 Vikings who need to perform in Week 7 showdown with Lions

The Minnesota Vikings have a golden opportunity to secure a multi-game lead in the NFC North if they can win against the Detroit Lions in Week 7. Minnesota will fancy their chances of getting the job done at home but it will take a complete team effort to triumph over their division rivals.

Detroit will enter the game as a wounded animal after losing star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson to injury in last week's romp over the Cowboys. The reality that Jared Goff and his offense put up 47 points against Dallas will have the Vikings' defensive coaching staff on high alert.

The offensive staff might see an opportunity to attack a defense that will be adjusting to life without their best edge rusher. No matter what, the following five players need to perform at a high level if the VIkings are going to emerge victorious on Sunday afternoon.

5 Vikings that must have big performances in Week 7 vs. Lions

1. Justin Jefferson

Minnesota needs Jefferson to play well every week if their offense is going to operate at maximum efficiency. The pressure heaped on arguably the best receiver in football will be amped up against the Lions' secondary.

Expect Detroit to pack the box and force Sam Darnold to try to beat their corners on the outside. That's where Jefferson will need to win person battles against Terrion Arnold and Carlton Davis. He has the juice required to defeat either Detroit corner but Brian Branch will be lurking on deep routes from his free safety spot.

Jefferson doesn't need to dominate this game by himself but he needs to deliver something slightly better than his normal outing to get his team over the hump. Going over 100 yards receiving with a score should be the minimum for the star pass-catcher.

2. Andrew Van Ginkel

The Lions offense prides itself on physicality but that does not mean it can't be harmed by speedy edge rushers. Minnesota needs Andrew Van Ginkel to use his bend off the edge to get into the opposing backfield on Sunday.

Van Ginkel's ability to rush the passer and disrupt Detroit's run game will be crucial in this matchup. He cannot afford to get caught in the wash against opposing tackles if his defense is going to stay on schedule.

Van Ginkel needs to up his physicality against the run game and leverage his speed on obvious passing downs to make sure he's accounted for on every snap. A breakout game from the talented linebacker could turn the tide in his team's favor this week.

3. Ty Chandler

Aaron Jones has been the top running back for the Vikings this season but his status heading into Week 7 is uncertain due to a leg injury. That opens the door for Ty Chandler to be the go-to back against Detroit's physical front seven.

Chandler is only averaging 3.5 yards per carry on the season in his backup role. That's well below the standards required to keep his offense on schedule. If he can't get going against the Lions it may put too much pressure on Darnold to win the game on his own.

The Vikings don't need Chandler to dominate this game on the ground but they need him to be efficient. If he can up his rushing average by a yard or so it would be a big lift for his team.

4. Christian Darrisaw

Hutchinson is out for the Lions but they still possess plenty of talent up front. That's why Christian Darrisaw needs to play a mistake-free game at left tackle to help his team gain an important victory.

The former first-round pick simply needs to carry on with the elite play he's displayed through the first six weeks of the season. He's grading out at 85 via PFF which comfortably lands him in the top-echelon of tackles in the league.

Darrisaw is a good pass blocker but he separates himself from his peers with his physical run-blocking ability. It's that skill that Darrisaw needs to accentuate against the Lions to power up his offense.

5. Stephon Gilmore

Stephon Gilmore isn't still in his athletic prime but his combination of size and smarts is keeping him in the starting lineup for the Vikings. He'll need to play standout football at his nickel spot to keep Jared Goff from finding a rhythm.

Detroit will try to get either Amon-Ra St. Brown or Jameson Williams matched up against Gilmore in single coverage whenever they can. The Vikings staff will work just as hard to prevent that mismatch from being established. No matter what, Gilmore will need to hold his own on a few deep routes to prevent the Lions from burning his secondary via the big play.

Gilmore doesn't need to be a star on Sunday. Performing at the level of an adequarte starter will be enough. He needs to stand out by not standing out in a negative way on Sunday.