NFL Update And Notes

It was (15-2) Detroit (Lions) easing (31-9) vs (14-3) Minne, to become the NFC top seed and with it a first round bye, while the Vikings must head to L.A. as only slight “faves” Monday next in what will be the 8th ‘offs clash between them and the Rams. (The Vikings have won 5 of the previous 7 such tilts).

My thoughts went back to the strike marred, 15 games- 1987 season, when those numbers as a record (8-7), did not stop the wild card team Vikings from winning playoff games at (12-3) New Orleans Saints and then at (13-2), San Francisco before eventual champion Washington (they also won the strike marred ’82 NFL crown) held them off in the NFL title game/semi, producing a nice embrace between team owner Jack Kent Cooke and CBS correspondent, Lesley Stahl, I do believe.

Now it is the Vikings again on the road, but they have the better record, as the Rams finished with a (10-7) mark.

Meanwhile the Lions are the top NFC seed for the first time, home field being correlated as it has been for now 47 seasons (’78-2024).

“Det” avoids a wild card round game, a tilt in which they have a (1-9) record, that win, at home vs the Rams, whom (who?) they would have played had they lost Sunday past. Only in ’35 and ’53 did the Lions need only win a home tilt, then just one, to be NFL champions. They succeeded each time.

This season, if they win a “div” game for a third time (last year and ’91 are the previous) they would host the NFC title game/”semi” for the first time.

They did win their last crown to date at home in ’57, after having to win an unscheduled playoff game at San Francisco (49ers), additionally having split 2 road title games at Cleveland (Browns), winning in ’52 and losing in ’54.

Anthony Carter, pictured above, signing autographs, had great games in both Vikings’ upset ‘offs wins in 1987.