With Lions head coach Matt Patricia in his second year and Packers’ head man Matt LaFleur in his first, both Detroit and Green Bay are clearly playing better football than they did in 2018.

Vikings’ fans found out in the first quarter of a week two game in Green Bay that the Packer’s offense was going to run a little differently than it had in the past. They ran up 21 points with barely breaking a sweat against a visiting Minnesota defense with a crafty combination of run, play-pass and misdirection.

Defensive play-caller Mike Zimmer finally caught on and shut down that stratagem, but the damage had been done, leaving the Vikings at 1-1 after two games.

The Green Bay offense has gotten a new wrinkle or two, but so has their defense, which now ranks 8th in the NFL in points allowed per game (18.3) but 24th in yards given up per contest (376.8).

You can’t argue with a 4-1 NFC North leading record, but it’s a sure bet that the Detroit Lions (2-1-1) will try. The Motor City Kitty-Kats aren’t sporting a very formidable defense, (23rd against the rush and 29th against the pass), but they are at least trying to run the ball this season rather than simply relying on the torque of QB Matthew Stafford’s arm, which has gotten them to the first game of the playoffs twice in a decade now, but no further.

Lions head coach, Matt Patricia, whose well-worn title of former defensive coordinator for the New England Patriots is getting a bit frayed, nonetheless watched his team follow a first week tie with the Arizona Cardinals with wins over the L.A. Chargers and the Philadelphia Eagles. After that, the Lions took the explosive Kansas City Chiefs to the wire in a 34-31 loss in Lincoln Field.

North Pole

The leader’s position is in some flux if the Lions do pull off a win. It would put the Lions up top of the NFC North at 3-1-1 and put Green Bay at 4-2 and in a tie with the Vikings, ahead only by their head-to head win a few weeks ago.

However, despite what would look like third place after that Detroit victory, Vikings’ fans should be cognizant that Minnesota will travel to Lincoln Field this week for their first match-up with the Lions. A win there changes the picture and would give the Vikings their first division victory after two losses to Green Bay and Chicago.

Green Bay would then book a road trip to Oakland to face the insurgent Raiders and then return in week eight to Lambeau to face the Kansas City Chiefs. A win puts them at 5-1 and gives them a button or two of breathing room before they head out.

Who To Lose?

Pick your poison here. I’ll take the Lions–not only to root for, but to win this one. The Pack is coming off a win against Dallas on the road, giving the American press corps just one more reason to re-anoint them as NFL elite.

I’m not buying it just yet.

I’ll admit it, they look better than they did a year ago. They have discovered a smart and persistent running game to go with Aaron Rodgers’ celestial passing talents and a defense that bends more than breaks in 2019.

Still, this non-hating but still slightly dubious Packer-watcher thinks they are due another another surprise like the Eagles gave them two weeks ago in Wisconsin.

Whoever wins this one, the Vikings get to relax and watch. Beating that Philadelphia Eagles’ team like a drum at home yesterday gives them some room to breathe as this game is set to go off.

Moreover, somebody opened a window and that air is nice and fresh in the TV room tonight.