The Vikings are catching the Lions at just the right time.

Yes, Minnesota is coming off an ugly loss Thursday against the Packers, but this game is different.

For one thing, Teddy Bridgewater is back, and this offense is an entirely different unit with him under center. Plus, the Vikings have more time to prepare and recover for Sunday’s game than Detroit.

More important, the Lions are trending the wrong way. They’re coming off a loss to Buffalo in which Bills quarterback Kyle Orton was making just his second start in three years. The Lions have a very tough defense, but their offense has been struggling to put points on the board, despite all the famous names and high expectations.

Without receiver Calvin Johnson, who is injured, there to play pitch and catch any time they like, Matthew Stafford’s mistakes and limitations come to the front. He is still inaccurate and makes costly errors at the wrong time. His arm is second to none in the NFL, but being a great quarterback is about so much more than your arm, and he still hasn’t put it all together.

As for their running game, who knows who will be carrying the ball for the Lions on Sunday? Joique Bell is still working his way through the concussion protocol, and Reggie Bush and Theo Riddick are dealing with injuries of their own. At the end of the game, the last man standing was a running back I had never heard of, George Winn. Everybody in the league knows that losing Adrian Peterson affects Minnesota’s offense, but I have confidence in Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata.

Minnesota’s defense can keep Detroit’s offense in check, but it will need help from the offense. No turnovers is a good place to start. That would keep the defense off the field, and give it longer fields to defend. Then comes the notion of breaking down the Lions defense, which is tops in the league in yards allowed and second in points.

I’m looking to see a bit more creative thinking from the offense this week.

First of all, find ways to get the ball in Cordarrelle Patterson’s hands. Even counting his work on special teams, he touched the ball only five times last week. That’s not even close to enough. If he’s still learning to play as an NFL wide receiver, with the full arsenal of routes and moves, that’s fine, but don’t forget to work in simple ways to give him the ball and see what happens.

In Week 1, the Vikings handed Patterson the ball on running plays a few times. Work that back into the game plan. Look his way more often on short, easy throws, because it doesn’t take much for him to spring loose for a big play.

I hope this Vikings team is angry after last week’s 42-10 loss at Lambeau Field. Winning in the NFL is a lot of fun, but it’s when you lose that you learn the most. That’s when you should be driven to get back into the film room, to go back to practice and learn to play better.

This is a young team, but they have some very tough guys and good coaches who I believe will keep the team focused and ready to compete.

Fran Tarkenton is Minnesota Vikings analyst for TwinCities.com and the Pioneer Press. He is a former Vikings quarterback and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He also is an advocate for small businesses and the founder of www.GoSmallBiz.com. Follow Fran at twitter.com/Fran Tarkenton.