It’s the Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions tonight on Sunday Night Football as both teams battle it out for the top seed in the NFC and home-field advantage. The winner of this game wins the division and the No. 1 seed in the NFC, while the loser of this matchup will take the No. 5 seed and start the playoffs on the road. In the unlikely event of a tie, the Lions would win the division. Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET with Football Night in America on NBC and Peacock. See below for additional information on how to watch and live stream the Vikings vs Lions game.
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Minnesota Vikings:
The Vikings (14-2) have won the last nine straight games, most recently defeating the Packers 27-25 at home in Week 17. QB Sam Darnold threw for a career-high 377 yards with 3 passing touchdowns and an interception in the win.
It was his second straight game with 3 passing touchdowns. Darnold, in his first year with the Vikings and fourth NFL team, continues to excel in what has been the best season of his career so far. He is just the fourth quarterback to throw at least 35 touchdown passes in his first season with a new team. The last two to achieve this feat were Tom Brady (40 passes in 2020) and Matthew Stafford (41 passes in 2021), both of whom went on to win the Super Bowl in those seasons.
The Vikings have their second-most regular season wins in franchise history and look to make their first Super Bowl appearance in 48 years.
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Detroit Lions:
The Lions (14-2) are the only NFC franchise to have never reached the Super Bowl—could this finally be their year? It’s been an extraordinary season for Detroit. They’ve set a franchise record with 14 wins, lead the league with the highest-scoring offense, averaging 33.3 points per game, and are the only NFL team to remain unbeaten on the road.
QB Jared Goff, in his fourth year with the Lions, is having a career-best season. Goff’s 36 touchdown passes are second-most in Lions’ history trailing only Matthew Stafford‘s 41 in 2011. With a 113.6 passer rating, Goff ranks second in the league behind Lamar Jackson, and he’s just 291 yards shy of breaking his career-high of 4,688 pass yards set in 2018 during his time with the Rams.
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How to watch Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions:
- When: Tonight, Sunday, January 5
- Where: Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan
- Time: Live coverage begins at 7:00 PM ET with Football Night in America
- TV: NBC
- Live Stream: Peacock
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How do I watch Sunday Night Football?
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