Teddy Bridgewater led the Minnesota Vikings (4-2) to 22 straight points to defeat the Detroit Lions (1-6) 28-19 at Ford Field. Here is what you need to know:
- Stefon Diggs isn't leaving the Vikings' starting lineup. The rookie receiver dazzled again Sunday. After Mike Wallace compared him to Antonio Brown this week, Diggs did his best AB impersonation. Diggs' precise route running and lightning-quick breaks burned Lions DB consistently, highlighted by a ridiculous 36-yard TD dive after he smoked Rashean Mathis on a textbook double move -- Teddy Bridgewater should thank the rook for saving him on an overthrow. He finished with six receptions for 108 yards and a score. Diggs now has at least five catches and over 80 yards in his first three career games. Yup, he's a keeper.
- Bridgewater probably wishes he could play the Lions every week. He's had his two best games of the season against Detroit. He finished with 316 yards passing -- one yard shy of a career high -- and two touchdowns. While he took some bad sacks in field-goal range, Teddy consistently made proper reads and found wide out receivers.
- As we've seen time and time again, the Lions' inconsistency on offense killed them. After jumping out to a 17-6 lead, Joe Lombardi's offense went into a shell. Detroit gained 160 yards in the first quarter. With 3:21 in the fourth quarter they had gained five total yards since the opening stanza. There was zero rhythm and no creativity to the offense. But, hey, no turnovers!
- After watching the Lions exploit his deep defense early, Mike Zimmer brought blitz after blitz, flummoxing a poor offensive line. Matthew Stafford continues to struggle diagnosing blitzes pre-snap. With no line adjustments, the Vikes' defense swallowed him for seven sacks. For the second time this season Stafford was hurt against the Vikings -- left hand injury -- but stayed in the game.
- Adrian Peterson got sick last night. Early, he played like it. For the second straight week A.P. was stymied for most of the contest. A huge 75-yard run buoyed his numbers, but most of his 19 carries went for short gains or losses.
- Some sad news for fans in both Detroit and Minnesota: the NBA's Timberwolves announced coach Flip Saunders died of cancer. He was 60. Saunders had coaching stints with the Detroit Pistons and Timberwolves.
