***SWAMPSGIVING GAME 1 - MIN @ DET***

***MINNESOTA VIKINGS @ DETROIT LIONS***

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! It doesn't get much better than today; family, food, and football baby! The first game on the Thanksgiving slate may be the best and most important as the 8-2 Minnesota Vikings head into Detroit to take on the 6-4 Lions. I couldn't think of a better way to kick things off than an 'ol fashioned black & blue NFC North battle. The Vikings are obviously at the top of the division currently but the Lions are hot on their heels and today is the biggest game of their season if they want to make a late season push to overthrow Minnesota. Detroit has already beaten the Vikings earlier this year in Minnesota, squeaking out a close 14-7 win which now makes three wins in a row over the Vikes dating back to last season's sweep. That being said, with a big win at home today they would be sweeping their rival in back to back seasons and only 1 game back in the divisional race. With a favorable schedule remaining, that factor could give Detroit the edge over Minny if the Vikings were to drop another game or two down the road.

We all know the Vikings strength is stemmed from their defense as it is one of the best units in the league. However, the offense hasn't been too shabby either, which is a surprise because backup QB Case Keenum has been balling! Filling in for the injured Sam Bradford earlier this year, Keenum has taken the bull by the horns and with former starting QB Teddy Bridgewater now finally back off a devastating leg injury, Keenum is holding on to his starting job with everything he's got. Bridgewater was a promising young QB before nearly losing his leg entirely with an awful injury. It has taken over a year to get back but he is apparently finally ready for game action. Keenum however has been in the zone, as he impressively led the Vikings to a HUGE home win against a playoff caliber Rams team at home, throwing a clutch TD pass to WR Adam Thielen in the 4th quarter to seal the deal for the Vikings. I got to imagine Vikings fans, like probably everybody else, are just waiting for Keenum to show that he can't get it done so that Bridgewater can finally resume his starting role. Unfortunately as well as Keenum has been playing, I believe that is the inevitable storyline that will eventually take place, and I think that it begins today with a big loss in Detroit. Keenum got the moral victory against his former team last week, but I believe that is the peak and it will only be downhill for Case from here on out. We all know who he is and what he is capable of. He's a good backup professional QB, nothing more. Luckily he is on a team where he has to do the minimum. They have a top notch defense, a solid running game behind a good offensive line, and plenty of weapons at WR to help him complete passes when he needs to. I like the guy and his competitiveness, I do, but I believe he will prove to be holding them back down the stretch here and that they will be making that switch to Teddy B. in the near future. The Lions have given Minnesota fits and everyone of the last three wins over the Vikings were extremely close. Today, I'm going to back the team with the better QB, at home in the Prime Time spotlight with their backs against the wall in essentially a do or die game for the NFC North crown.

On the other hand, Lions QB Matthew Stafford is the real deal. The thing with the Lions is, it's never easy. They tend to play up and down to their competition, but find ways to get the job done when it matters in the 4th quarter. Hence the way they've played the last few weeks. After a rare blowout win in Green Bay against a hobbled Packers team without the great Aaron Rodgers on MNF, the Lions struggled against the winless Browns at home in Detroit before taking the lead for good late in the game. Last week in windy Chicago against a scrappy rival Bears team, they were able to steal a close win by a score of 27-24 with a FG in the final minute. I personally think they have been looking ahead to this HUGE game at home the past two weeks and just sleep walking through the games against lesser opponents, doing the minimum to get the W. Today I feel they will hold nothing back and be locked in knowing this is hands down the biggest game of their season. That being said, going back to my Keenum rant, I feel the spotlight may be too big for him here to not make any mistakes. In my opinion, this Lions defense is sneaky good. This unit has been stout when they want to be. I was impressed a few weeks back with the way they stifled the Steelers for most of the game at home on SNF, besides one broken 97 yard pass play that Rothlisberger had to JuJu Smith-Schuster in the 3rd quarter. Detroit has a talented secondary with veteran Safety Glover Quinn and their number one CB Darius Slay. Rookie LB Jarrad Davis has also been a nice acquisition that the middle of this defense has been missing. They just signed veteran DE Dwight Freeney to help bolster up the pass rush. Although it will be surprising to see Freeney on the field a day after being signed, I wouldn't be surprised in pass rushing situations to see him out there. Pass rushing is like riding a bike, you don't forget how to do it and given that he was just with Seattle this season before being cut, he is in game shape and ready to play. Not that Freeney is some sort of unstoppable monster late in his career, but his presence will definitely help open things up for Ziggy Ansah, who hasn't recorded a sack since early October. To wrap things up here, these two teams are very familiar with each other. That being said even though the Vikings defense is smothering with premier talent at every level, Stafford knows how to play these guys. WR Golden Tate seems to always be the thorn in their side that makes the game deciding play in these match-ups. With extra focus on Tate today, I anticipate Rookie WR Kenny Golladay to have himself a breakout game here. This kid is extremely talented and has had some injuries that have kept him sidelined for most of the season. He's back and after a couple games to get his beak wet, I think today could be the day where he the rest of the world finds out who he is. I fully expect a hard-fought, close game throughout here that will be decided by a FG either way. I think when it comes down to it late in the game, Stafford will rise to the occasion and find a way to get it done where Keenum won't be able to. I have faith in the Lions to pull out the upset victory at home and send the Detroit fans home happy for some Thanksgiving turkey. LIONS+2.5