The Vikings may have had to work on Thanksgiving, but they feasted at Ford Field with a **30-23 defeat of the Lions** to win their seventh straight game and add distance from everyone else in the NFC North.
NFL.com's Marc Sessler **delved into the division matchup** and highlighted a few takeaways from the game, including the play of quarterback Case Keenum, who played his 10th game – and made his ninth start – in Purple. Sessler wrote:
*[Keenum] cooled in the second half, but Keenum has never displayed better field vision, looking off reads and picking perfect moments to use his feet to move the chains. With [Vikings Offensive Coordinator] Pat Shurmur dialing up another masterful game plan and Minnesota's line playing as well as any league-wide, Keenum's play has been elevated to new heights. Make no mistake, though, he's grown personally in the realm of quarterbacking artistry, showing appropriate aggressiveness downfield while protecting the ball. *
Keenum finished Thursday's game 21-of-30 passing for 282 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions for a passer rating of 121.8. He also added a rushing touchdown of his own.
The Vikings win improved their record to 9-2, while the Lions (next closest in the division) are now three games back at 6-5. In response to Minnesota's recent string of play, Sessler said:
Minnesota fans are tired of hearing about the Eagles, Saints and Rams mentioned before the Vikings as a legitimate Super Bowl threat in the NFC. Their agitation is on point.
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Murray 'continues to roll' at Detroit
In the Vikings last meeting with the Lions, rookie running back Dalvin Cook, who had been hot for the first three games of the season and looked to be again in Week 4, suffered a torn ACL and was sidelined for the season.
Minnesota's committee of running backs responded, however, with Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon – and occasionally fullback C.J. Ham – stepping in to fill the void in the games since.
After scoring two rushing touchdowns against the Rams on Sunday, Murray **had another respectable performance** on Thanksgiving. Matthew Coller of 1500ESPN wrote:
While McKinnon had big weeks immediately following Cook's injury, Murray has taken over as the go-to guy on the ground of late. In the last five games, he's rushed for 399 yards on 89 carries (4.5 yards per carry).
His presence was especially felt on Thursday against the Detroit Lions. Murray gained 84 yards on 20 carries – [48] of which came on an important drive to start the second half.
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The Vikings offense has been rolling of late, putting up three straight games over 400 yards. They've also gained over 100 yards rushing in five of the last six contests.
Coller quoted Murray, who spoke to media members after the game:
"I think we've been doing some really good things," Murray said. "Whether it's starting fast, starting the second half fast, it goes to show the sky is the limit if we're hitting on all cylinders."
Alan Page collection to be displayed during Super Bowl LII
Minnesotans and visitors alike will have the opportunity to view a unique collection by Alan Page and his wife, Diane, leading up to and over the time of Super Bowl LII, scheduled for Feb. 4 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The collection is not related to Page's time on the gridiron but rather is a look at African-American memorabilia throughout stages of America's history. The title of the collection is "Testify: From Slavery to Today. African-Americana. From the Collection of Diane and Alan Page" and will be on display Jan. 7 through Feb. 7 at the Minneapolis Central Library.
Chris Tomasson of the *Pioneer Press ***highlighted the upcoming display**. He wrote:
The 153-piece collection will include items from slavery, the Jim Crow era as well as art related to the African-American experience. The Pages began putting the collection together in 1988, and they **spoke to the Pioneer Press* in September about wanting it to be seen by the public.*
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The items collected by the Pages are … are jolting artifacts connected directly to the slave trade, the Ku Klux Klan and the segregationist Jim Crow laws that took root after the Civil War. There is a slave collar, a branding iron and plantation records listing the names, ages and prices of human property.
There is an opening reception tentatively scheduled for Jan. 11.
