Minnesota Vikings 28
Detroit Lions 24
It was easy to see that the focus of the Lions defense was to remove Justin Jefferson from the game. They did. He only had three catches for 14 yards. For most of the game the Vikings offense looked out of sync without Jefferson being a part of it. Moving forward, the Vikings must find ways to make teams pay for focusing so heavily on Jefferson. Against the Lions, Kirk Cousins eventually started getting the ball to Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn. Thielen made some of the team’s biggest catches. Osborn caught the game-winning touchdown. Again, the Vikings must make teams pay for focusing so heavily on Jefferson. They have too many play-makers to be so out of sync.
The Lions controlled this game until they gave up the game-winning score with 45 seconds left. They had leads of 14-0 in the first half and 24-14 in the second half. Jared Goff was solid until he threw the game-sealing interception with a handful of seconds to play. The key to the Lions control of the game may have been their success on fourth down. They converted four of six attempts. Those conversions were key on 17 of their points. The Vikings defense simply couldn’t get the Lions off the field soon enough or often enough. This game didn’t have to be a nail-biter. The Lions gambling ways made it that way.
Lions corner Amani Oruwariye literally had his hands full with Thielen. If football was like basketball, Oruwariye would’ve fouled out of this game. The officials threw so many flags his way that it was shocking when they didn’t throw a big one on a fourth down with just over two minutes to play. Oruwariye is a very grabby football player.
Welcome back, Dalvin Cook. The Vikings running game and Cook were pretty much absent in the Week 2 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. A lot was absent in that game. Cook ran well against the Lions. He was sailing toward a 100-yard game when he ran head-first into the backside of left guard Ezra Cleveland. That collision and resulting frenzy from the Lions defenders forced a fumble and a shoulder injury for Cook. He left the game and did not return. He remained on the sideline and didn’t look like he was in any discomfort. Hopefully, it’s a minor deal. Cook was running well before the injury. It was great to see. He had 96 yards on 17 carries and a 1-yard TD. Alexander Mattison added 28 yards on seven carries and a 6-yard TD.
The showing of the Vikings defense would’ve been much better if they could’ve gotten off the field on those fourth down attempts. Making stops on third down usually mean something. It didn’t yesterday as the Lions kept their offense on the field for six fourth down attempts. While Josh Metellus seemed to play well (he had the game-sealing interception after dropping an interception on the previous play), the Vikings defense missed Harrison Smith. His leadership and simple presence were missed. I was hoping that rookie Lewis Cine would get some snaps but Metellus took all of the defensive snaps. I believe that the Vikings defense will make strong strides in the coming weeks. Through 12 quarters this season, the first two quarters of the Eagles game are the only quarters that the Vikings defense has played poorly. Still, the coverage has to get tighter and the pass rush has to get home more often. The Lions rolled for 416 yards (139 on the ground, 277 through the air). They held the ball for 34:04. The Lions controlled this game until they lost it.
While the Lions were in charge most of the game, it always felt like the Vikings just had to get out of their own way. Once they did, they grabbed the win. It was a Division Win. It was a Big Win. Now, it’s off to England for an overseas date with the New Orleans Saints.
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