DETROIT (AP) — A season of ups and downs for the Minnesota Vikings comes down to this: beat Detroit and Chicago and they’re in the playoffs.First up are the banged-up Lions Calvin Johnson Jersey , who have already been eliminated from postseason contention, but with so much at stake, the Vikings can’t afford to look too far ahead.“We know what we’ve got to do at this point. We know how we’ve got to play,” running back Dalvin Cook said. “There’s little time for error right now. We just have to go out there and play clean football and win football games.”Minnesota won just one of its first four games this season, and the Vikings haven’t come close to matching last year’s 13-3 record. There will be no division title — Chicago already clinched that — but if the season ended now, the Vikings would be in the playoffs, so they still have all sorts of opportunities ahead of them.First, they’ll try to take care of business in Detroit.While Minnesota (7-6-1) has been underwhelming this season, the Lions (5-9) never really looked like contenders. They dropped their first two games, traded receiver Golden Tate and have now lost a handful of key players to injuries. Rookie running back Kerryon Johnson, defensive end Ziggy Ansah and wide receiver Marvin Jones are all on injured reserve.Detroit hasn’t scored more than 22 points in any of its last eight games.“Obviously the playoffs are Womens Zach Zenner Jersey , that’s the goal and that’s what you’re shooting for every single week,” said Matt Patricia, the Lions’ first-year coach. “The thing that’s different, I think, is that every week you don’t walk into the room and talk about playoffs. You just kind of walk in and talk about the game that week. … The fact is, we still have to go play a really good Minnesota team this weekend that’s coming off a huge win.”The Vikings beat Miami 41-17 last weekend.A few more things to watch when the Lions host the Vikings:STACKS OF SACKSThe Vikings set a franchise record with 10 sacks in a win over the Lions earlier this season , and they’re coming off a nine-sack performance against Miami. They lead the league with 47 sacks.“You know that they’re going to come out there, they’re game-planning against what we’ve done the first time,” said defensive end Danielle Hunter, who’s tied for second in the NFL with a career-high 14½ sacks. “We’d expect to see more max protection, them running the ball and all that. Stuff like that.”Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has been sacked five times or more in 16 games of his 10-year career Kenny Golladay Jersey White , and seven of those were against the Vikings.STREAKStafford missed 19 games in his first two seasons while plagued by injuries. He’s started every game since, a streak of 126, not including the playoffs.“It means a lot. Well documented, first two years, (I) missed a bunch and I wanted to prove to my teammates, this organization, myself, everybody, that I could be out there for extended periods of time,” Stafford said.Stafford has been limited in practice recently because of back issues, but he pushed back against the idea he should sit now Womens Kenny Golladay Jersey , with the playoffs out of reach.“I spend all offseason and all season working hard to play in games with these teammates and for this organization,” he said. “(I) take no games for granted and go out there and play whenever I feel like I can.”READY TO RETURNThe first of five career punt returns for touchdowns for the Vikings by Marcus Sherels came on Sept. 30, 2012, at Detroit. Last week against the Dolphins, Sherels had a 70-yard return and totaled 116 yards on five returns.“We kind of challenged him a little bit this last week at being more aggressive,” coach Mike Zimmer said.Detroit has activated returner Jamal Agnew off IR. He was an All-Pro last season.ANOTHER OPTIONWith opponents frequently sending double teams at Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs, the Vikings have needed other pass catchers to step up for quarterback Kirk Cousins.Aldrick Robinson, who was signed as a free agent two weeks into the season, has shown some potential. His 40-yard touchdown reception against the Dolphins gave him five scores in 10 games. He’s reached the end zone on nearly 30 percent of his 17 receptions.MARK OF FAILUREFrom 2001-12, the Lions had double-digit losses 10 times in 12 seasons. It hasn’t happened since that 2012 season, but Detroit needs to win its final two games to avoid it this year. RENTON http://www.lionslockerroom.com/authentic-dwayne-washington-jersey , Wash. (AP) — Quandre Diggs was trying to get some rest on his off day. The incessant buzz of his phone wouldn’t give him a chance to rest.On the other end was his agent, letting him know he was headed to catch a plane for a new destination. He was no longer the defensive captain for the Detroit Lions. Diggs’ new home was in Seattle after being traded to the Seahawks.“I was blindsided by it,” Diggs said Wednesday. “I was taking a nap, me and my daughter was taking a nap, and I just kept getting phone calls. I got a call from my agent and he said you’re going to Seattle.”The versatile safety is now in a whirlwind of trying to get himself acclimated to a new team, a new system and to possibly be in position to contribute on Sunday when the Seahawks travel to Atlanta.It was a surprising move that interrupted Diggs’ rest while his 3-month-old daughter slept. Diggs was a starter with the Lions, who sit at 2-3-1 in the NFC North. He was a team captain. He was able to play both safety positions for the Lions after initially starting his career as a nickel cornerback.But Seattle had a significant need. The Seahawks’ safety depth is essentially gone. Lano Hill is expected to be out for a few weeks with an elbow injury. Starter Bradley McDougald is dealing with back spasms that caused him to miss last week’s loss to Baltimore. Coach Pete Carroll sounded pessimistic that McDougald would be able to play against Atlanta.The injuries left Seattle with only three safeties on the active roster against Baltimore. There needed to be a move and Seattle seemed just as surprised to find the Lions willing to part with a starter.“I didn’t think that could be possible,” Carroll said. “We got concerned with our depth and our issues with a couple of guys banged up and not sure when they’re going to get back. … We were looking and it happened to pop up just right.While Diggs is intrigued by his opportunity with the Seahawks, he was clearly unhappy with leaving Detroit and many of his teammates with the Lions echoed their displeasure with the move.“The whole team captain aspect, that’s tough,” Diggs said. “I worked my tail off for those guys in that locker room. I’ve changed the way I went about my business there and it’s tough to leave those guys. I miss those guys Womens Tracy Walker Jersey , but I guess that’s just how things go.”Carroll said Diggs will be sprinkled in at both safety positions, but he first mentioned free safety. Carroll insisted the trade was out of a need for depth and not an indictment of starting free safety Tedric Thompson, who has struggled at times this season. Thompson was responsible for the blown coverage that led to a 50-yard pass play in the loss to Baltimore last Sunday.But Diggs’ versatility to play both safety positions and a little cornerback if needed will be fully examined by the Seahawks.“They’ve used him in a number of different ways so there is a big variety of background that I just think he’s been a unique player,” Carroll said. “He’s one of those guys I’ve seen for a long time and liked for a long time.”One aspect helping Diggs’ transition will be the number of connections already in Seattle. Wide receiver Tyler Lockett is one of his closest friends. Diggs played several seasons with Ziggy Ansah and last year with Luke Willson.“He really talks the talk and that’s the thing you learn when you are around him,” Lockett said. “He’s going to set you straight. He’s not going to tell me something that’s not true about myself. He’s going to tell me the truth about myself, if I’m playing too much, if I’m taking it too personal, whatever the case is. Just to have him here allows you to have another accountability partner.”NOTES: T Duane Brown (biceps) was a limited participant in practice after missing the past two games. Carroll was uncertain if Brown would be ready to play by Sunday. … DE Ziggy Ansah (ankle) was also a limited participant after missing last Sunday’s loss to Baltimore. … QB Russell Wilson was a full participant but was listed with a knee injury. It’s his first appearance on the injury report this season.