What are the Vikings talking about ahead of Sunday's matchup with the Lions in Minnesota? Let's find out:
1. The Vikings are 1-3 on the season, but much like the Lions who are 0-4, head coach Mike Zimmer believes his football team is better than their record would indicate. He said this week he feels like they are just a few plays here and there away from better outcomes. Lions head coach Dan Campbell has said the same thing, especially after Sunday's loss in Chicago where they came away with no points four times inside the Bears' 10-yard line.
Zimmer said he talked to the captains Monday, and they all believe in the process and will stick to the plan. They believe the results will start to come in the win column.
2. Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins expects a hungry Lions team coming to town Sunday trying to get their first win of the season. Cousins hasn't lost to the Lions since coming to Minnesota to be their starting quarterback. He's 6-0.
View photos of the starters for the Minnesota Vikings.
![Head Coach: Mike Zimmer
Offensive Coordinator: Klint Kubiak
Defensive Coordinator: Andre Patterson
Special Teams Coordinator: Ryan Ficken](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/togt4ujivlyg4fgathy5.jpg)
Head Coach: Mike Zimmer
Offensive Coordinator: Klint Kubiak
Defensive Coordinator: Andre Patterson
Special Teams Coordinator: Ryan Ficken
![QB Kirk Cousins
Backed up by Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/mk0vuhhgjner71g8ztke.jpg)
QB Kirk Cousins
Backed up by Sean Mannion and Kellen Mond
![WR Justin Jefferson
Backed up by K.J. Osborn and Dede Westbrook](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/yjtqm4yduaegx6c4m9fu.jpg)
WR Justin Jefferson
Backed up by K.J. Osborn and Dede Westbrook
![LT Rashod Hill
Backed up by Christian Darrisaw](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/fzsjbbjnaqdmcvdkdudw.jpg)
LT Rashod Hill
Backed up by Christian Darrisaw
![LG Ezra Cleveland](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/hgeoawnvkhe0vwexmagd.jpg)
LG Ezra Cleveland
![C Garrett Bradbury
Backed up by Mason Cole](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/phz75xreuzloxljajywu.jpg)
C Garrett Bradbury
Backed up by Mason Cole
![RG Olisameka Udoh
Backed up by Wyatt Davis](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/przdpgon22nhcdfqeeir.jpg)
RG Olisameka Udoh
Backed up by Wyatt Davis
![RT Brian O'Neill](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/oosnbzdkpjzkuxj9upba.jpg)
RT Brian O'Neill
![TE Tyler Conklin
Backed up by Chris Herndon and Ben Ellefson](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/iwyqkuznon7mswydkuqs.jpg)
TE Tyler Conklin
Backed up by Chris Herndon and Ben Ellefson
![RB Dalvin Cook
Backed up by Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/bhqgnilh7iumjuokfioa.jpg)
RB Dalvin Cook
Backed up by Alexander Mattison and Ameer Abdullah
![FB C.J. Ham](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/qcpfuip1gvoh3lpxfz5y.jpg)
FB C.J. Ham
![WR Adam Thielen
Backed up by Ihmir Smith-Marsette](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/jqoylyc5oymcxbxwwwyk.jpg)
WR Adam Thielen
Backed up by Ihmir Smith-Marsette
![LE Danielle Hunter
Backed up by Stephen Weatherly](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/inwjxostlbgbhik65byy.jpg)
LE Danielle Hunter
Backed up by Stephen Weatherly
![DT Dalvin Tomlinson
Backed up by Sheldon Richardson](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/d8clj512ayb98hmmynsh.jpg)
DT Dalvin Tomlinson
Backed up by Sheldon Richardson
![NT Michael Pierce
Backed up by Armon Watts and James Lynch](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ly5xrcuyrnyfk132v91z.jpg)
NT Michael Pierce
Backed up by Armon Watts and James Lynch
![RE D.J. Wonnum
Backed up by Everson Griffen and Patrick Jones II](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/sj9hl2iekg80gfjyvr12.jpg)
RE D.J. Wonnum
Backed up by Everson Griffen and Patrick Jones II
![WLB Nick Vigil
Backed up by Chazz Surratt](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/nti1ezx5sqyp2p4zpv9x.jpg)
WLB Nick Vigil
Backed up by Chazz Surratt
![MLB Eric Kendricks
Backed up by Troy Dye](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/k144fxsdziwzb60iddsl.jpg)
MLB Eric Kendricks
Backed up by Troy Dye
![SLB Anthony Barr
Backed up by Blake Lynch and Ryan Connelly](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ryrq0q2o4djr3qim2sia.jpg)
SLB Anthony Barr
Backed up by Blake Lynch and Ryan Connelly
![LCB Patrick Peterson
Backed up by Mackensie Alexander and Harrison Hand](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/hzmwdjhpltnof12dybkj.jpg)
LCB Patrick Peterson
Backed up by Mackensie Alexander and Harrison Hand
![RCB Bashaud Breeland
Backed up by Kris Boyd and Cameron Dantzler](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/scfh7c9uocltprup6pdz.jpg)
RCB Bashaud Breeland
Backed up by Kris Boyd and Cameron Dantzler
![SS Harrison Smith
Backed up by Josh Metellus](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/la0cpdqxc4krkioawjb4.jpg)
SS Harrison Smith
Backed up by Josh Metellus
![FS Xavier Woods
Backed up by Camryn Bynum](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/wbgz92f6znps6jdvjh0h.jpg)
FS Xavier Woods
Backed up by Camryn Bynum
![P Jordan Berry](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/ytweyhwvihi70ixgohqg.jpg)
P Jordan Berry
![K Greg Joseph](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/i2ogajmxrvqcjjutxjyh.jpg)
K Greg Joseph
![LS Andrew DePaola](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/og3ele59yjzad4ild1ot.jpg)
LS Andrew DePaola
![KR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Backed up by K.J. Osborn](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/fampmfaknrhcalrntm3j.jpg)
KR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
Backed up by K.J. Osborn
![PR Dede Westbrook
Backed up by K.J. Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marsette](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/lions/b2ahximssufua6txvm0y.jpg)
PR Dede Westbrook
Backed up by K.J. Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marsette
3. Zimmer opened his Wednesday press conference talking about Detroit and how aggressive their defense is. He mentioned Detroit's defense being one of the best on third down (Detroit ranks second in that category), and said Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn does a good job mixing up looks from multiple fronts.
4. Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook admitted to the Vikings media Wednesday he's still not 100 percent from the ankle injury that kept him out of the lineup two weeks ago. Cook played last week vs. Cleveland, but wasn't very effective, rushing for 34 yards on nine carries. Cook said he can continue to play while getting his ankle back to 100 percent. He said it's just a matter of playing through pain. Lions fans should expect him in the Vikings lineup Sunday.
5. Cook ran for a career-high 206 yards in a win over Detroit last year. Cook said that performance has nothing to do with Sunday's matchup with how different Detroit's defense is from both a scheme and personnel standpoint.
"You have to kind of forget about things like that and kind of approach this thing as a new slate, which it is," Cook told the Vikings team website.
6. Zimmer said he's got a lot familiarity with Detroit's coaching staff. He coached Glenn and Dan Campbell as players, and offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn was on the same coaching staff with him in Dallas. Zimmer said Campbell was always a tough competitor, Glenn was a smart football player, and Lynn was a good, tough guy.
7. The Vikings are expecting linebacker Anthony Barr (knee) back in the lineup this week. Zimmer said Barr gives their defense a different dimension, but he also noted that Barr hasn't played in over a year, so getting him back out there and into the groove is important. Barr said Wednesday he's excited to get back out there and help the team.
8. One of the things the Vikings have talked about so far this week is the ability of D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams to catch the ball from the running back position and the pressure that puts on the defense, particularly with one-on-one matchups with linebackers. It's hard to overload coverages when running backs are factors in the pass game, so it's something the Vikings' defense is aware of and preparing for.