The end of the 2023 NFL season is upon us and Sunday afternoon could spell the end of the Minnesota Vikings season. They only have a 3% chance to make the playoffs after losing their last three games and six of their last seven.
The Vikings had a chance to control their own destiny on multiple occasions but couldn’t make it happen for a myriad of reasons. With the final game coming against a Detroit Lions team that is still raging after feeling screwed against the Dallas Cowboys, their road to the playoffs has become that much more difficult.
Ahead of Sunday’s game, our staff identified four players to watch against the Lions.
Managing editor Tyler Forness: WR Jordan Addison
The Vikings are unlikely to make the playoffs this season due to their own shortcomings. In their likely final game, there is still plenty to keep our eyes on and seeing the rookie class in it’s final game is something I will be watching in-depth, mainly wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Addison has an outside chance to surpass 1,000 receiving yards as a rookie, something that has only been accomplished by Justin Jefferson in 2020 and Randy Moss in 1998. His presence opposite of Jefferson with no T.J. Hockenson should afford him more opportunities against a porous Lions secondary.
Columnist Judd Zulgad: S Harrison Smith
The safety will be playing in his 176th game and making the 175th start of his 12-year career with the Vikings, but will this be his last game in purple? Drafted by the Vikings with the 29th pick in 2012, Smith is headed for the Vikings’ Ring of Honor and there is a case to be made that he belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, Smith will turn 35 on Feb. 2 and has a $19.2 million cap hit for 2024. Smith would have to agree to a restricted contract to return, but there’s a possibility he could elect to retire. One of the NFL’s best safeties for several seasons his play has declined and Smith doesn’t seem like the type of player who would want to hang on.
Columnist Saivion Mixson: CB Akayleb Evans
The last few games have not been kind to cornerback Akayleb Evans. Against the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, Evans has been targeted 16 times and have allowed 11 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown. That’s a passer rating of 116.15 over that span. With Byron Murphy out with a hamstring injury, the burden to lead this secondary on the outside lies on Evans.
Against Detroit, it got to the point to where O’Connell removed Evans for practice squad elevation Jaylin Williams against Detroit. If the Vikings want to capitalize on their slim chance of slipping into the postseason, Evans has to be more than just another asset, he has to be instrumental in stopping Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and the other outside threats that Detroit may pose on Sunday.
Columnist Chris Spooner: ILB Jordan Hicks
Everything that could go wrong for the Minnesota Vikings last week did. The offense couldn’t get anything going. The turnover bug reared its ugly head once again. Jaren Hall was so ineffective he was benched at halftime in favor of Nick Mullens – who Hall himself replaced for the start of the game. It was a comedy of errors, and in retrospect, none of it was all that surprising.
One of the things that was surprising was just how wrong things went on the defensive side of the ball. Defense has been the Vikings calling card all season, and it faltered in a big way last week. This week is going to be the last chance for pending free agent Jordan Hicks to make an impression, both on Vikings’ brass and on the 31 other teams. Coverage has been an issue for the Vikings linebackers all season, and for Hicks in particular. One game isn’t going to change those issues, but the NFL is a very ‘what have you done for me lately’ business, and the last tape makes an impact.
If Hicks and the rest of the linebacker corps can have a strong game against Detroit to finish out the season, he could see a nice free agent deal in his future.
