Scouting report: Vikings vs. Detroit

noon Sunday

Mall of America Field

TV: Ch. 9

(100.3-FM, 1130-AM)

Line: Lions by 2

RECORD: 4-4

• The Lions, who will end a stretch of four of five games on the road against the Vikings, had a season-high 149 yards rushing in Sunday's 31-14 victory at Jacksonville.

• The Lions have 3,287 offensive yards, the most they've had through eight games.

•In their past eight trips to the red zone, the Lions have scored touchdowns.

PLAYER TALK QUARTERBACK MATTHEW STAFFORD

Stafford is sixth in the league in passing yards per game (299.1) after his breakout 2011 season, during which he passed for 5,038 yards.

• On the Lions' improvement since the last Vikings game: "We're just being more efficient, just continuing drives on third down, and pushing in at the end with touchdowns in the red zone, that's been the big difference."

• On avoiding the injuries that plagued him in his first two seasons in the league: "I probably protect myself a little bit better but, honestly, those happen. It's the NFL, it's football, it's part of the game."

COACH SPEAK

JIM SCHWARTZ

• On early struggles: "We lost a couple of games particularly because of special teams. We didn't score a lot of points offensively, and defensively gave up two [special team] scores in two consecutive games to Minnesota and Tennessee."

• On running back Mikel Leshoure, who rushed for three first-half TDs on Sunday: "He's basically a rookie right now. He was injured [Achilles tendon surgery] all last year. Consistency is the name of the game in the NFL. He's striving for consistency, and this will be the first time in his career he has played a team for the second time."