EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. — The Vikings open divisional play Sunday when the Detroit Lions come to U.S. Bank Stadium for a noon (CT) kickoff.
The teams are both 2-1 but have yet to play any games within the NFC North.
The Vikings will be looking for better results this season as they were swept by Detroit in 2016.
Here's a look at 10 numbers of note headed into the matchup:
288 — Number of rushing yards for Vikings rookie running back Dalvin Cook through the first three weeks of the NFL season; Cook ranks second in the NFL in rushing yards behind Kansas City rookie Kareem Hunt. Detroit's defense ranks 12th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game (86.0).
Minus-1 — Number of punt return yards allowed by the Vikings punt coverage team in 2017; that's tied for the third-best mark through three games for an NFL team since 1970. Detroit leads the league in punt return average (22.7), thanks in large part to an 88-yard touchdown by Jamal Agnew in Week 2.
369 — Number of passing yards for Vikings quarterback Case Keenum on Sunday against the Buccaneers; The total was a career high for Keenum, who also threw three touchdowns and had a passer rating of 142.1.
3 — Number of consecutive seasons the Vikings or Lions have swept the season series between the teams; Minnesota won both games in 2015. Detroit won twice in 2014 and 2016. The team who has won the season series went on to make the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.
7 — Number of interceptions by the Lions defense in 2017, which ranks second in the NFL; Detroit is leading the league with a plus-six turnover margin; Minnesota nabbed three picks Sunday and have the fourth-most in the league. The Vikings are plus-two in turnover margin and have not thrown an interception.
111 — Number of all-time regular-season matchups between the Vikings and Lions, which is tied for the most in franchise history along with the Bears and Packers; Minnesota and Detroit have never met in the postseason.
9 — Number of combined points for the margin of defeat for the Vikings against the Lions in 2016; Minnesota lost 22-16 at home in overtime and 16-13 on a last-second field goal in Detroit.
4 — Number of sacks for Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen this season; Griffen ranks tied for fourth in the league through three games. Detroit's Ezekiel Ansah has 3.0 sacks this season, which ranks tied for seventh in the NFL.
7 — Number of wins and losses for Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford in his career against the Vikings; Stafford has split the 14 games and hasn't thrown for at least 300 yards in each of the past seven games.
21 — Number of consecutive field goals made by kicker Kai Forbath after joining the Vikings in November; the streak is tied for the third-longest in Vikings history.
