NFC North

The Detroit Lions don't consider Jared Goff to be a bridge quarterback, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

"As sources have explained, Goff is believed to be their starting QB. Period. Not just until someone else comes along," Rapoport reported.

Goff has impressed in his second season with the Lions after a trade from the Los Angeles Rams. The 28-year-old has 3,022 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 12 games this year, ranking sixth in the NFL with a 60.5 Total QBR.

After a slow start, the Lions have won four of their last five games with Goff throwing seven touchdown passes and only one interception in this stretch.

Goff's contract becomes more manageable after this season if the Lions wanted to move on from the quarterback. He's owed $52.3 million over the next two years, with just $10 million left in dead cap if he was released in the offseason, per Spotrac.

The Lions would've been left with $41.15 million in dead cap if Goff was released last offseason.

There could also be options to replace Goff in the draft, with the Lions currently holding the No. 4 overall pick from the Rams. They also enter Sunday with the projected No. 15 pick, per Tankathon.

Quarterbacks Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud are both considered top 10 prospects in the 2023 class, per Bleacher Report's Scouting Department, while Anthony Richardson and Will Levis are high-upside options that could be available.

The Lions still seem content to stick with Goff as long as he remains productive.

At 5-7, Detroit has already matched its highest win total in the last four years. The team also has the No. 6 scoring offense in the NFL, with Goff clearly a major part of the success.

It could be enough for the 2016 No. 1 overall draft pick to keep his job heading into 2023 and beyond.

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell was taken aback Friday when told that his team is favored to beat the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

According to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com, Campbell said: "I really don't even know how to respond to that. I'm shocked by that."

The Lions, who are 5-7 on the season, are listed as two-point home favorites against the 10-2 NFC North rival Vikings by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Detroit has won four of its past five games, and it is coming off a 40-14 home demolition of the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. The Lions were unstoppable on offense with quarterback Jared Goff throwing for 340 yards and two touchdowns, while running backs D'Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams each had a rushing touchdown.

The Vikings have won nine of their past 10 games, including two in a row, however, all but one of their wins this season have been by one score.

That includes last week's 27-22 win over the New York Jets, which required two red-zone stands in the fourth quarter.

In Week 11, the Vikings were perhaps exposed in a 40-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, although they have done well to bounce back with two consecutive wins since then.

The Vikings and Lions played once before this season, with Minnesota pulling out a 28-24 home win in Week 3.

Since the Vikings are on the verge of clinching the NFC North and would need an epic collapse to not win the division, their sense of urgency may not be as high as Detroit's.

The Lions are still in the playoff hunt, trailing the Seattle Seahawks by two games for the final wild-card spot in the NFC, and a win over the Vikes would go a long way toward helping their cause.

That is likely playing a role in the surprising point spread, although it is still difficult to believe that a 10-2 team that is largely healthy at the key positions is an underdog against a 5-7 squad.

For all the latest betting information and reaction, check out B/R Betting.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) (IL).Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ/WV/PA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS OFF (IA), or call or text the TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789 (TN).21+. NJ/PA/WV/IN/IA/CO/IL/TN only. In partnership with Meadows Racetrack & Casino. Eligibility restrictions apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.

A coaching decision in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings continues to haunt Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell.

"Look, it burns me," Campbell told reporters Thursday. "Of course it burns me. That'll be there until the day I die. That's not going to go away."

The Lions led the Vikings 24-21 with 1:14 left in the fourth quarter. On fourth down with four yards to go, Campbell sent Austin Seibert out for a 54-yard field-goal attempt instead of trying for the game-sealing first down.

Seibert missed the kick, and the Vikings needed just three plays to score the go-ahead touchdown. Minnesota closed out the 28-24 win and the Lions suffered the first of five straight losses.

Campbell acknowledged the mistake after the game even before getting questioned by reporters.

"I freakin' regret my decision there at the end," the coach said. "I should have gone for it on fourth down. I told the team that we should've gone for it."

The Lions have turned their season around and enter Week 14's rematch against the Vikings with a 5-7 record, but it's clear Campbell still thinks about that call.

The NFL announced the eight finalists for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award on Thursday, and a trio of running backs lead the way.

Aaron Jones of the Green Bay Packers, Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns and Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings were among the players nominated for the award:

The Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award was introduced in 2014 and named after late Pittsburgh Steelers founding owner Art Rooney Sr. Per Packers reporter Wes Hodkiewicz, the award "recognizes players who best demonstrate the qualities of on-field sportsmanship, including fair play, respect for the game and opponents and integrity in competition."

The eight finalists were selected from 32 nominees by a panel of former players made up of Warrick Dunn, Curtis Martin, Leonard Wheeler and Larry Fitzgerald, who chose four finalists from each of the AFC and NFC.

The finalists will be included on the Pro Bowl ballot under the NFL Sportsmanship Award category when NFL players can begin voting later this month. Each team will submit a consensus vote for one of the finalists, and a team cannot vote for its own player.

Fitzgerald was the first honoree to receive the award. Last season's winner was New England Patriots special teamer Matthew Slater.

This year's selection will be announced as part of the NFL Honors show on Feb. 9 prior to Super Bowl LVII. The winner will get to make a $25,000 donation via the NFL Foundation to the charity of his choosing.