Lions rested, healthier and hosting Vikings and J.J. McCarthy in his return to field and Michigan

Minnesota (3-4) at Detroit (5-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox.

Against the spread: Vikings 3-4; Lions 5-2.

Series record: Vikings lead 80-45-2.

Last meeting: Lions beat Vikings 31-9 in Detroit on Jan. 5, 2025.

Last week: Vikings lost to Chargers 37-10; Lions had bye, beat Buccaneers 24-9 on Oct. 20.

Vikings offense: overall (26), rush (26), pass (20), scoring (18).

Vikings defense: overall (14), rush (24), pass (8), scoring (18).

Lions offense: overall (8), rush (7), pass (12), scoring (3).

Lions defense: overall (8), rush (4), pass (16), scoring (11).

Turnover differential: Vikings minus-4; Lions plus-6.

QB J.J. McCarthy. The 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, who endured another pause on his development with an ankle sprain that kept him out the past five games, is on track to return. Good thing, too, because veteran Carson Wentz is having season-ending shoulder surgery. McCarthy, who has missed 23 of 25 possible regular-season and postseason games in his career because of injury, finished his college career just down the road in Ann Arbor with a national championship at Michigan during the 2023 season.

WR Jameson Williams. The speedy, fourth-year pro has been held to two or fewer catches in five of seven games this season. Williams was targeted twice in Detroit's last game and didn't have a catch. In the two games Williams scored, he had two receptions for 108 yards in a win over Chicago and six catches for 66 yards in a loss at Kansas City. Williams had 58 catches for 1,001 yards and seven TDs last season and was rewarded with an $83 million, three-year contract.

Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs vs. Vikings defense. Gibbs is seventh in the NFL in rushing yards per game. He has nine TDs — eight rushing — in four games against Minnesota. In the two matchups last season, Gibbs had 38 carries for 255 yards — a 6.7-yard average — and five scores plus nine catches for 75 yards and a TD. The Vikings gave up 207 yards on 43 rushes to the Chargers last week. It was the second time they allowed 200-plus yards on the ground after ranking second in the league last season in fewest rushing yards allowed per game and fourth in fewest rushing yards per play.

Vikings: LT Christian Darrisaw (knee) was sidelined after two series and RT Brian O'Neill (knee) didn't play at all last week against the Chargers, but both were participants in practice on Monday and have had 10 days to recover. ... TE Josh Oliver (foot), one of the team’s best run blockers, left the game against the Chargers with a sprain and won't play this week. Another key blocking contributor, FB C.J. Ham (hand), was inactive last week. ... OLB Andrew Van Ginkel (neck) has been participating in practice, but has missed the past four games. ... C Ryan Kelly (concussion) will miss his fourth straight game and remains out indefinitely. ... Third CB Jeff Okudah (concussion) left the game against the Chargers and didn't return.

Lions: CBs Kerby Joseph (knee), Terrion Arnold (shoulder) and Avonte Maddox (hamstring) missed the previous game. Arnold and Maddox may return to play this week. OT Taylor Decker (shoulder) returned against the Bucs after missing two games, but is dealing with a nagging injury.

The Vikings have lost five straight games to the Lions, their longest skid since losing the first five matchups from their inaugural season in 1961 until their first win on Nov. 24, 1963. ... The Vikings have dropped four straight games in Detroit, their longest road skid in the series. The only other time they lost more than two in a row in Detroit was dropping their first three visits from 1961-63.

McCarthy went 27-1 as a starter at Michigan. He threw three INTs, took nine sacks and lost a fumble over his first two starts for the Vikings, winning one and losing one. ... Vikings WR Justin Jefferson has 8,034 yards. Only Randy Moss (8,375) and Torry Holt (8,156) had more in their first six seasons, and Jefferson has 10 games to go in his. ... The Vikings have at least two sacks in 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the league and the fourth longest in team history. ... After leading the NFL with 24 interceptions last season, five more than the next-closest team, the Vikings defense has picked off only three passes this season. ... The Vikings are 5-8-1 ATS when playing a game on any extended rest under coach Kevin O’Connell and the Lions are 8-0 ATS against Minnesota with QB Jared Goff. ... Gibbs had a career-long, 78-yard TD run and a 5-yard run for a score as part of his career-high 218 yards from scrimmage in the win over Tampa Bay. ... Detroit is coming off its bye week. Gibbs scored four TDs to help Detroit earn a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs with a 31-9 win over the Vikings in last year's regular-season finale at home. ... WR Amon-Ra St. Brown has seven receiving TDs, tied for the most in the NFL, and six of those scores were in three home games this season. ... DE Aidan Hutchinson signed a four-year, $180 million contract with $141 million guaranteed on Tuesday. ... S Brian Branch returns from a one-game suspension for throwing a punch and triggering a postgame melee at Kansas City.

The Lions have a lot invested in Williams and will likely look to get him involved early — and more often — than they have so far during his season that has not met expectations.

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