Bold prediction of the week: Lions running backs roll over Vikings

The Lions’ running back corps could be poised for a big day in Minnesota.

The Detroit Lions have been trying to establish their running game for over a decade, and it’s beginning to look like they have successfully turned it into something formidable. Jamaal Williams and D’Andre Swift have highlighted the two-man attack, with Williams doing the ground-and-pound work and Swift posing more as a third-down passing threat. Together, the two could be in for a big day against Minnesota.

Bold prediction of the week: Lions have a 100-yard rusher against Minnesota.

As if I haven’t been bold enough with my predictions so far this year, I’m betting on the one part of the offense that still has life. Minnesota is currently ranked as the ninth-worst defense against the rush in total yards, giving up 542 yards on 113 attempts so far this season. They’re even worse on a per-carry basis, allowing 4.8 yards per carry, which ranks 28th in the NFL.

You might think Detroit’s run defense is bad after watching how they’ve performed in recent weeks. But what if I told you then that Detroit is 10th-worst defensively by total yards, just ahead of Minnesota? Well, they are, and that means a big day for Swift and Williams.

Realistically, this all depends on the flow of the game. Vikings QB Kirk Cousins has looked revitalized thus far in 2021, and if he decides to tear apart the Lions’ defense, Lions’ QB Jared Goff will be airing it out for most of the game to keep up. Then this prediction doesn’t have a chance. If the Lions can stay in it though, expect Williams and Swift to have a very busy Sunday—perhaps enough for one of them to become Detroit’s first 100-yard rusher since Swift did it in Week 6 last season.