What are the Minnesota Vikings talking about ahead of Sunday's Week 8 NFC North matchup against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Let's find out:

1. The Vikings welcomed running back Jordan Mason (thumb) back off IR last week in their win against Indianapolis. He led the Vikings in rushing with 15 carries for 68 yards after veteran Aaron Jones Sr. left the game with a knee injury early in the fourth quarter. Jones is considered 'day to day,' according to head coach Kevin O'Connell, who said he feels good about the depth in the running back room with Demond Claiborne and DeeJay Dallas in reserve if Jones isn't available to play against Detroit Sunday.

2. Vikings offensive coordinator Wes Phillips was asked this week how they can push the ball down the field more in the passing game. Minnesota's 15 completions of 20-plus yards on the season rank 25th in the NFL. In his response, Phillips brought up Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson and defensive lineman Alim McNeill.

"Each week presents its challenges," he said. "Like this week these guys have obviously Hutchinson and McNeill inside is playing really, really good football. You're kind of weighing how comfortable you feel holding the ball longer and taking deeper shots down the field based on protection. You're kind of weighing, 'When can we be aggressive? When can we take these shots?'"

He said those are mostly in-game decisions when they have a clearer picture of how they're blocking the front and how the game is going but does hope to push the ball down the field more this week.

3. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores is blitzing at nearly a 70 percent clip this season. The Vikings blitz often and blitz well. They have the top scoring defense (12.3 ppg) and are second in total defense (252.8 ypg).

"We talk about the pass rush and the blitzes a lot," Flores said. "I think every defense has a place, whether its three-man rush, four-man rush, five-man rush, six-man rush. I think what people call blitzes or pressures or max blitzes or max coverage it's a little bit different per individual or group or team.

"We as a team like to pressure a good amount. I think it helps us in the run game and helps us in the pass game. It's something we believe in. I don't want to say we've normalized it but we've run it enough where guys understand where the issues may be and what we need to do so that those spaces on the field in the pass game are covered up enough that hopefully the pressure can get there."

He said his players like playing an aggressive style and he expects to continue having the pressure conversations in his weekly press conferences.

4. Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels spoke glowingly of Detroit's new kick returner DeAndre Carter, who nearly broke two long returns in his Lions debut last week against the Packers.

"Really good returner in this league," Daniels said. "Been doing it for a long time. So, it's going to be a good battle going up against him."

Daniels said his units always get up for this matchup with Detroit because of the physicality both teams play with on special teams.

5. Phillips said Detroit getting Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch back is huge for the Lions' defense. He saw it on tape right away after watching the Green Bay game.

"He's a really excellent player," Phillips said. "Whether he's down near the line of scrimmage or back in the deep part of the field – the communication the athleticism."

Phillips thinks it's an aggressive secondary in Detroit that wants to get hands on pass catchers and challenge them. He said his pass catchers must be great getting on edges this week. They're used to the type of game they're expecting at Ford Field Sunday.

6. Flores said Detroit's offense is as formidable an opponent as his defense will see all season with the skill players the Lions have. He said it all starts with quarterback Jared Goff, a player Flores said was one of the best in the league.

"Major challenge this week," he said.

Flores said Goff's command of the offense, cadence, and ability to extract information from the defense with shifts, motion and cadence is at an elite level and when he gathers that information makes the correct reads and throws. Flores called it high level quarterback play.

7. O'Connell acknowledged this being a key stretch in the schedule for Detroit having back-to-back division opponents at home and he expects a heck of an environment at Ford Field Sunday as Detroit looks for their third-straight win and his team tries to win their 12th straight dating back to last season.

"Dan (Campbell) and his staff are going to put together a great game plan," O'Connell said. "They have a really good football team. It's going to take our best effort. That's really more than likely going to be the theme the rest of the way. We can't get bored with just doing whatever it takes to win one game a week."