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The Detroit Lions will have a tough test ahead of them on Sunday.
After a big divisional win over Green Bay in Week 7, the Lions will now play host to the first-place team in the NFC North with the undefeated Minnesota Vikings coming to town.
Minnesota boasts one of the NFL's top wide receivers in Justin Jefferson, who has had plenty of success in his career against Detroit's defense. Even after a better performance against Green Bay last week, the Lions' secondary remains a primary concern and as such Jefferson could have a big game.
The Lions diverted their course last week, opting to use a rotation in order to keep their defenders fresh while tracking Green Bay's wideouts on deep routes. All of their cornerbacks, including Roger McCreary, D.J. Reed, Ennis Rakestraw, Rock Ya-Sin and Khalil Dorsey, played at least 14 snaps.
Moving forward, this is a strategy the Lions could explore using. Against a player like Jefferson, they will have the ability to rotate looks and manipulate matchups to keep players fresh against the talented wideout.
Still, Jefferson presents a unique physical challenge at 6-foot-1 with the ability to win in contested situations as well as burn defenses deep. In the past, however, the Lions have had some success in the past matching up with smaller defenders against him.
Jefferson has logged 82 catches for 1,285 yards and five touchdowns in 12 career games against the Lions, but the Lions have held him under 60 yards in each of the last three meetings between the two teams.
The Lions were able to find some success placing Amik Robertson, a fiesty despite undersized corner, on him in games past. Robertson signed with the Washington Commanders this offseason, but Detroit has options that could work nicely against Jefferson throughout Sunday's game.
Up to this point in the season, Jefferson has 23 catches for 302 yards and three touchdowns in five games played. The Vikings signed quarterback Kyler Murray in the offseason, and the two have had a solid connection but are yet to pop with a big game.
If Detroit is going to keep Jefferson in check, they may benefit most from rotating options to keep their players fresh and able to battle physically with the big wideout. Reed will likely get the first opportunity, but McCreary has also shown some fiestyness and could be well suited to cover the wideout in spurts.
Additionally, the Lions' defense as a whole can make their life easier by getting pressure on Murray, forcing tough throws.
Ultimately, Sunday's game will be a great test for Detroit's secondary. Brian Branch's return at the safety position gives them a boost. If Jefferson dominates, it will be a further sign that the Lions need to add at the trade deadline in order to compete at the highest level, while a good showing could result in a vote of confidence from the front office.