Thursday: 11:30 a.m. at Ford Field (Ch. 9, 100.3-FM, 1130-AM)
ABOUT THE LIONS
• The Lions (6-4) got a game-winning field goal from Matt Prater from 52 yards away in a 27-24 win at Soldier Field on Sunday. Bears kicker Connor Barth missed a game-tying, 46-yard field goal in the closing seconds. The Lions are winners of three straight.
• Detroit finds the end zone. The Lions rank fifth in points per game (27.1) thanks to quarterback Matthew Stafford and a defense that, while porous at times, takes the football away. Detroit's five defensive touchdowns are tied with Jacksonville for the league high.
• Stafford is earning his contract as one of the league's most productive quarterbacks. He's fifth in passing yards (2,760), fifth in explosive passing (38 of 20-plus) and tied for fourth with just five interceptions.
• The Lions have been the toughest division foe for the Vikings. Minnesota is 2-5 against Detroit since Mike Zimmer took the reins as coach.
PLAYER SPEAK | LT TAYLOR DECKER
• Lions left tackle Taylor Decker missed the first eight games of the season because of a torn labrum suffered last summer. The second-year tackle has played the past two games.
• Stafford has continued to play well with Decker's return, throwing for 548 yards, five touchdowns and one interception in back-to-back wins against the Browns and Bears. However, he took seven sacks in that span.
• Decker was drafted 16th overall by the Lions out of Ohio State as the replacement for Vikings left tackle Riley Reiff, who played right tackle his final season in Detroit.
• Caldwell on Decker's return: "He's still coming along. Obviously he had been out for a while. I still think he's getting his feet up and underneath him, but he's doing OK."
COACH SPEAK | JIM CALDWELL
• Caldwell is in his seventh NFL season as head coach (fourth with the Lions). He holds a 33-27 record in Detroit (0-2 in the playoffs).
• The Lions' current fifth-ranked scoring attack would be the best ever under Caldwell, the former Colts and Ravens offensive assistant, and just Detroit's second top-10 finish this millennium.
• On the importance of Thursday's division game: "We just take them one at a time. We've got a tough battle ahead of us, so we just get our guys ready to play. That's what we focus on in our preparation at this point."
• On Vikings WR Adam Thielen: "He's a very good route runner. He's very astute at being able to manipulate a defender to get him to turn his hips. He can work his way back to the ball. He can beat you deep. He has excellent hands."
ANDREW KRAMMER
