Inside the Vikings, Week 7: Coming off a bye, a big test against the Lions

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings didn’t lose a game for the sixth straight week, but this time, fans can thank the bye. Week 7 should prove much tougher in terms of retaining a spotless record, as the Detroit Lions, last year’s NFC runner-up, come to town for a showdown of the NFC North’s top two contenders.
As we look ahead to this pivotal matchup, here’s the latest from CBS Sports writer and Vikings insider Cody Benjamin:
Cam Akers is back with the Vikings for a second straight season, this time arriving via trade with the Houston Texans. Akers’ return, which pairs him with coach Kevin O’Connell for a third time (the two worked together with the Los Angeles Rams), is the strongest signal yet that starting running back Aaron Jones (hip) is a true question mark for Week 7, if not beyond. Expect Akers to see immediate touches, fresh off a surprisingly full workload in Houston, in tandem with Ty Chandler in the event Jones can’t suit up. He already knows the system, and he flashed in minimal opportunities with Minnesota before injuring his Achilles last November.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah isn’t done exploring the pre-deadline trade market. We identified weeks ago that running back would be on his radar with Jones banged up, but now that Akers is in the fold for a late-round draft-pick swap, Adofo-Mensah can put more focus on adding insurance elsewhere. Keep an eye on the defensive line, where it wouldn’t hurt to bolster depth behind Harrison Phillips; and the cornerback spots, where Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore are both older. A couple of possible targets: Tennessee Titans defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day, and Philadelphia Eagles nickel/safety Avonte Maddox.
No matter how you slice it, 5-0 is a good place to be. Suddenly, however, the Vikings’ perfect record doesn’t seem so comfortable in a jam-packed NFC North, which boasts four different four-win teams through Week 6 for the first time since the NFL realigned in 2002. Their early-season dominance means Minnesota can still guarantee a spot in the playoff conversation with just a few more victories, but an NFC North crown will likely require the team to stay on a similar pace.
The Lions (4-1) are coming to Minnesota after a drubbing of the Dallas Cowboys, reaffirming themselves as one of the NFC’s most dangerous lineups, though they just lost star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson to a potential season-ending leg injury. Their offense, with Jared Goff distributing to a thunder-and-lightning backfield and two big-play threats out wide, might be the most balanced in the NFL. Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers (4-2) will host C.J. Stroud and the Texans in a matchup of young gunslingers. And the Chicago Bears (4-2) finally have some magic in No. 1 pick Caleb Williams, who will rest up on a bye following a splashy win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.