Craig: Vikings coaches usually find relief in Lions

Mike Tice was a sub-.500 coach who went 8-0 against the Detroit Lions.

Brad Childress was being bombarded with angry "Fire Childress!" chants when a phantom pass interference penalty kept him from losing to the Lions team that ended up 0-16 in 2008.

Leslie Frazier got to celebrate the day before he was fired. Why? Because he played and defeated the, you guessed it, Detroit Lions.

Heck, even Bud Grant wouldn't be Bud Grant without a 26-8-1 record against the Lions.

Current Vikings coach Mike Zimmer took the podium Tuesday looking like a man who really needs the tradition to continue in his first meeting with Detroit on Sunday.

His first news conference of the week lasted only 4½ minutes in part because he's visibly tired of injuries and arrests being the two primary and never-ending story lines in 2014.

Batting leadoff was the topic of defensive tackle Tom Johnson, the third Viking in four weeks to wind up on the wrong side of the law. He was pepper sprayed, zapped with a Taser and jailed on suspicion of disorderly conduct and trespassing over the weekend. Ho-hum.

"I've talked to him and we are still collecting facts and we will leave it at that as we go," Zimmer said.

Next up: Injuries. More injuries. The most notable being free safety Harrison Smith, the team's best defender, who might not play Sunday because of an ankle sprain.

"He did not practice today, but we're not going to talk about injuries today," Zimmer said.

Later, there was a question about Adrian Peterson, the banished face and foundation of the franchise. He's due to appear in court Wednesday on a felony charge of child abuse.

"Honestly, I want the best for Adrian, number one. OK?" Zimmer said. "But I also have to coach the guys that are here and go forward."

In NFL history, you'd be hard pressed to find a rookie head coach who has had more negativity dumped in his plate in his first five games than Zimmer. But help could be on the way Sunday when the Lions visit TCF Bank Stadium.

Yes, the Vikings are 2-3 and have suffered three double-digit losses in the past four weeks. Yes, the Lions are 3-2 and beat up a Packers team that beat up the Vikings.

But things usually align in favor of the Vikings when the Lions are involved. Just ask former Lions long snapper Don Muhlbach.

In 2004, it was Muhlbach who botched a PAT snap with 8 seconds left in a game at Ford Field. The Vikings left the field victorious and stunned, 28-27.

"I feel bad for him," then-Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper said. "But I feel good for us."

Overall, the Vikings are 69-34-2 against Detroit. At home, they're 38-13-1.

As for this year's team, now could be a very good time to face Detroit, particularly in a close game.

First of all, new coach Jim Caldwell is talking about resting his best player, receiver Calvin Johnson, who reinjured his ankle in Sunday's 17-14 loss to the Bills.

Secondly, the team's second-best offensive weapon, running back Reggie Bush, could join Johnson on the sideline because of a bum ankle of his own.

Thirdly, Caldwell will be down to his third placekicker after signing former Bronco Matt Prater on Tuesday. Caldwell released rookie Nick Freese two weeks ago and veteran Alex Henery on Monday after he missed three field goals in a three-point loss. Together, Freese and Henery were a combined 1-for-9 on field goals longer than 39 yards.

Defensively, the Lions rank No. 1 in yards allowed (282.4 per game) and No. 2 in points allowed (15.8). But offensively, Detroit and quarterback Matthew Stafford are out of sorts without Johnson and Bush in top form. They rank 27th in points (19.8), 28th in rushing (83.6) and second to last in sacks allowed (17).

Tuesday, Vikings cornerback Captain Munnerlyn was asked about the team's morale five days after the 42-10 debacle at Green Bay. He smiled.

"Things could be worse," he said. "We could be 0-5."

And the Lions could be healthy, scoring lots of points and not 1-15 in their past 16 trips to Minnesota.

Mark Craig mark.craig@startribune.com