The Detroit Lions hosted the Minnesota Vikings in the final game of the regular season. With the stakes being at an all-time high, the game was flexed to Sunday Night Football.
Both teams came into the game with a 14-2 overall record. The winner would win the NFC North division and the top seed in the conference. The loser would be the fifth seed and take on the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round on Monday, January 13.
Both teams have a ton of weapons on offense, so it was expected to be a shoot out. That was not the case in the first half as both defenses made it difficult to put points on the board. The opening possessions for both teams stalled, and it was the first time all season the Vikings did not score on the opening drive.
The Lions got on a board with a touchdown after converting on 4th and 5. Minnesota got in the red zone, but the defense held them out all four times. Minnesota did not get on the board until midway through the second quarter with a field goal after failing to convert in the red zone for the second time.
After intercepting Goff and stopping them on fourth down, the Vikings got back in the red zone. They had to settle for a field goal once again after only gaining five yards. It was a one-point game right before the half, but the kicker made a crucial mistake by kicking the ball out of bounds.
That gave Detroit excellent field position. They got down the field after grabbing two huge first downs, putting them in field goal range. Jake Bates made the kick to end the first half, making it 10-6. Despite giving up three points, the Vikings got the ball to start the third quarter.
Cam Akers ran for 58 yards to set them up 1st and goal. But once again, they failed to convert for a touchdown on all four attempts. It was the second time they turned it over on downs in the red zone. They caught a break after Goff was intercepted by Harrison Smith, and they took over at their own 46-yard line.
Sam Darnold was called for intentional grounding, which killed the drive. They had to settle for a field goal, and the kick was good to cut the lead to one. The pressure Detroit put on Darnold made it difficult to get anything going, especially in the red zone.
After a few stalled possessions, the Lions finally got back in the red zone. They faced a 4th and 2, which they decided to go for. Goff found Gibbs for a 10-yard TD. Their offense was finally in rhythm, and Minnesota needed to answer.
Minnesota got the ball and immediately got into the opponent’s territory, but decided to settle for the field goal. The kicker missed it and the Lions took over at their own 41-yard line. At that point, the momentum was all on Detroit’s side. Goff was almost intercepted for a third time, but Andrew Van Ginkel dropped what could have been a pick six.
Fortunately, they did not make any more costly mistakes and proceeded to score a touchdown again thanks to a 13-yard run by Gibbs. The Vikings’ next possession ended quickly after Darnold was sacked on third down. The Lions got back in the red zone and Gibbs scored again, and that was the end of the game. They won the game 31-9, and swept the division.
#1 Seed
With this win, the Lions finished the regular season with a 15-2 record. This is a new franchise record for wins in a season, and the first time they have the one seed in the conference. This is also the first team in franchise history to go undefeated on the road.
Jahmyr Gibbs finished with 23 yards for 139 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He also had five receptions for 31 yards and one receiving touchdown. He was the engine for the offense throughout the game. He finished the season tied with James Cook and Derrick Henry for the most rushing TDs in a season with 16. He also led the entire NFL in touchdowns scored with 20.
Jameson Williams finished with six receptions for 34 yards, giving him his first 1,000-yard season. Jared Goff finished with 27 completions out of 33 attempts for 231 yards along with one touchdown and two interceptions. Amon-Ra St. Brown finished with six receptions for 77 yards. Sam LaPorta finished with seven receptions for 63 yards.
The Vikings finished the regular season with a 14-3 record. They will be the first team with 14 wins in NFL history to go on the road in the Wild Card round. They will take on the Los Angeles Rams, the only other team that defeated them during the regular season. The winner of the matchup will see the Lions in the divisional round.
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