As the Minnesota Vikings head into the final stretch of the regular season, they were expecting to enter the postseason with a relatively clean bill of health. However, they have been hit with an unexpected blow, losing one of their key contributors just ahead of a crucial season finale against the Detroit Lions.

After securing a narrow 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers on December 29, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell announced that outside linebacker Pat Jones II would miss some time due to a knee injury sustained during the game. Jones, who ranks third on the team with 7.5 sacks this season, will undergo further evaluation on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury.

“It’s a right knee injury,” O’Connell said in his post-game press conference. “Hopefully, we avoided some sort of long-term injury, but I won’t know much more than that until he gets fully evaluated. I’m expecting him to miss some time, but I just don’t know yet what that will look like.”

O’Connell also revealed that they decided to hold out running back Aaron Jones for the remainder of the game after he suffered a quad contusion. Jones appeared ready to return, even donning his helmet on the sideline, but with Minnesota holding a 17-point lead in the final quarter, the decision was made to keep him on the sidelines for the rest of the game.

With Jones sidelined, rookie Dallas Turner is expected to see an increased role in the defense, filling in for the missing linebacker in what promises to be an intense matchup against Detroit.

Shortly after the Vikings’ win over the Packers, the NFL made an announcement that the highly anticipated Week 18 matchup between Minnesota and Detroit would be flexed to Sunday Night Football. This game, now set as the season finale, will determine the NFC North divisional title and potentially the top seed in the NFC playoffs.

The first encounter between the two teams came down to the wire, with the Lions converting a last-second field goal to secure a thrilling 31-29 victory in Week 7. This rematch, however, will look quite different, as injuries have taken their toll on Detroit’s roster. The Lions, already missing Defensive Player of the Year frontrunner Aidan Hutchinson for the season, have been plagued by injuries down the stretch. At present, Detroit has 19 players on injured reserve, including key contributors. Running back David Montgomery remains questionable, further depleting the Lions’ already thin roster.

These injuries were evident in the Lions’ devastating 48-45 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, a game that shook up the NFC playoff picture. With a win over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, the Lions (14-2) would enter the season finale with 14 wins, tying them with the Vikings (14-2) for the best record in the NFC.

As the Week 18 showdown approaches, the Lions enter the game as 2.5-point favorites over the Vikings. Detroit has won the last four matchups against Minnesota, and with home-field advantage, they are expected to continue their dominance. However, the Vikings come into this game on an impressive nine-game win streak, making them one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Quarterback Sam Darnold has been firing on all cylinders, helping the Vikings score the ninth most points in the league this season.

This highly anticipated rematch promises to be another high-scoring affair. However, Minnesota’s defense could hold the key to an upset. The Vikings were without linebacker Blake Cashman in the Week 7 loss to the Lions due to a turf toe injury. Cashman plays a critical role for the Vikings, wearing the green dot and helping coordinate the defense. His absence was felt, as Minnesota struggled to contain Detroit’s high-powered offense, allowing several explosive plays due to defensive lapses.

If the Vikings’ defense can execute a near-perfect game and capitalize on their opportunities, particularly with Cashman’s return to the lineup, Minnesota could leave Detroit with the NFC North title in hand and position themselves for the top seed in the NFC playoffs. With both teams locked in a fierce battle for divisional supremacy, this season finale is shaping up to be one of the most thrilling games of the year.