Neal: Kevin O’Connell vs. Dan Campbell in the NFL’s game of the year

The NFC North title and the top seed in the conference is there for the Vikings to claim. But first, they have to go through that big lug in Detroit.

That big lug is Lions coach Dan Campbell. And that is lug as in lovable lug, like former Vikings player and coach, Mike Tice.

Campbell is honest, he’s emotional and he inspires his players. You can’t wait to hear what he has to say next, and if he will cry while doing so. But some of his coaching decisions make you wonder if he’s nuts. Campbell doesn’t care what we think. He is real. He has instilled a fighting spirit in his players that has served them well during a season of challenges and adversity.

While everyone screamed at him to rest his players in a meaningless Monday night game at San Francisco, Campbell threw everything he had at the 49ers in a 40-34 victory. They were 2-for-3 on fourth down conversions. The Lions even executed a hook-and-ladder play for a touchdown — a play they should have kept in their back pocket for the postseason.

They had to travel back from the west coast to begin a short week of preparation to face the Vikings. They have been ravaged by injuries. But Campbell kept the concrete block on the accelerator despite it all. With the win, the Lions charge into Week 18 with momentum.

Whether you approve of or are aggravated by his coaching methods, Campbell has had the Lions on top of the division for most of the regular season despite a bulging injured reserve list. The defense has been affected the most, but the Lions have covered that weakness with one of the NFL’s best offenses. San Francisco rolled up 475 yards of offense on Monday. And lost.

The final regular-season game is also the NFL’s game of the year. Two 14-2 teams facing each other with everything on the line — a division title, bye week and home field advantage until the Super Bowl.

And the Vikings will enter Ford Field having lost their last four games to Campbell, giving up an average of 31.3 points — 31, 30, 30 and 34. Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell has to maximize scoring opportunities against a leaky Detroit defense. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores needs to slow down the Jared Goff-led offense just enough to leave the Motor City as kings of the north.

While O’Connell is considered the front runner for NFL Coach of the Year, Campbell should be the runner up.

One is considered an offensive genius. The other is liable to call any play on any down based on a gut feeling.

One looks like Clark Kent. The other looks like the Dude from “The Big Lebowski.”

Sunday night is going to be wild. That’s just my opinion, man.

The winning formula for the Gophers men’s basketball team is clear: they have to play stifling defense. Everyone has to rebound. They must sink a few three-pointers. They must make their free throws. And someone other than Dawson Garcia must score.

After watching them lose 81-61 on Thursday against Purdue at The Barn, I’m not sure how many times they will be able to follow that formula. Their front line is struggling against Big Ten caliber players. They were an appalling 7-of-16 from the foul line. And they fell apart in the second half by stacking too many empty possessions.

The Gophers will play Ohio State on Monday, the fourth team they will face that was projected to finish among the top eight in the conference. So they will have more favorable matchups in the coming weeks. They will eventually win some conference games. But I’m putting the over/under of those wins at 4.5.

The Wild return home on Tuesday to face St. Louis, hoping for a run of better health. But they are figuring out ways to improvise and overcome.

On Thursday, they rallied to tie Washington in the third period before winning in a shootout. They have come away with points in four of their last five games, including the shootout and an overtime win. It has been an impressive run despite players checking in and out of the trainer’s room.

Kirill Kaprizov remains out because of a lower-body injury, but they entered Saturday’s game at Carolina having scored 16 goals over their previous five games. Jared Spurgeon will several weeks because of a lower-body injury. Jake Middleton is still on the mend from a hand injury.

Good teams perform around their injuries. The Wild are currently doing that, and it is a good trait to have going forward.

• The Twins will swing a trade to get the payroll down to around $130 million. And it will be an unpopular move. Brace yourselves.

• With so much on the line, the Vikings will play their best football of the season and defeat the Lions 38-31.