Getty
Jahmyr Gibbs runs for a touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Detroit Lions went into Week 18 facing some big stakes, needing to beat the 14-win Minnesota Vikings to earn their second straight NFC North title.
The Lions ended up winning in comfortable fashion, dominating their division rival on both sides of the ball to win 31-9. The win gave the Lions a bye week — the first time in franchise history they earned the No. 1 overall seed during the Super Bowl era — while forcing the Vikings to go on the road in the wild-card round.
That trip did not go well for the Vikings, leading some to credit the Lions with “breaking” their division rival.
Vikings Struggle Against Los Angeles Rams
The Vikings were forced to make an unusual road trip for Monday’s playoff game, bypassing Los Angeles and heading to Arizona after wildfires in Southern California forced the game to be moved.
The neutral site didn’t give the Vikings any advantage, with the Rams jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter and going into halftime with a 24-3 lead. The Rams tightened the screws defensively in the second half, cruising to a 27-9 victory and a trip to the divisional round.
After the game, many NFL pundits gave credit to the Lions for sending the Vikings into a tailspin starting with the season finale loss.
“The Lions broke the Vikings,” wrote former NFL player turned commentator Ross Tucker in a post on X.
Others agreed, including Lions reporter Tim Twentyman who noted that the Lions are one win away from a return trip to the NFC title game.
“The Lions broke the Vikings. Lions vs Commanders & Eagles vs Rams for NFC Championship,” he wrote in a post on X.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell had more faith in the Vikings, telling coach Kevin O’Connell after last week’s game that the two would meet again in the playoffs. Campbell also shared praise for the way the Vikings put together a contender.
“Yeah, listen, he’s an excellent coach,” Campbell said, via SI.com. “I mean, you look at what he’s done, now, going on three years, their offensive scheme is, they do a great job, man. Very creative and they understand how to find weaknesses and pick at them, get the most out of their players, put their players in position to have success.”
Lions Focused on Business
Campbell’s prediction of a Lions-Vikings rematch in the divisional round had already been proven wrong before Minnesota’s game on Monday night. The No. 6-seed Washington Commanders took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, sending them to Detroit for the divisional round.
Campbell shared praise for rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, saying he is playing well beyond his years.
“He is dangerous. He poses a major threat,” Campbell said, via SI.com. “He does not play the position like a rookie quarterback. He’s composed, he understands how to progress, he sees the field well, he can buy time with his legs, he’s a dangerous runner.”
The Lions have set a goal to reach the Super Bowl this year and will now be able to do it without seeing any division rivals. The Green Bay Packers were also bounced in the wild-card round, losing to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty
English (US) ·