Lions Make History With Season Finale Win Over Vikings

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Jahmyr Gibbs runs for a touchdowns against the Minnesota Vikings.

The Detroit Lions wrapped up the NFC North in the final game of the 2024 season, and in doing so earned a week off and a piece of team history.

The Lions hosted the Minnesota Vikings in a winner-take-all game on Sunday night, with both teams entering the game at 14-2 and tied atop the division. The winner would earn a division title and the No. 1 overall seed while the loser would become the first 14-win wild card team in NFL history.

The Lions took care of business, riding a strong game from running back Jahmyr Gibbs and cruising to a 31-9 victory. As ESPN’s Adam Schefter noted in the closing minutes of the game, it will be the first time in franchise history that the Lions earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC.

“Lions are on the verge of history: Before this season, the highest Detroit ever had been seeded is 2, in 1991, when the Lions lost the NFC Championship game in Washington, 41-10,” Schefter shared in a post on X.

Lions Pull Away From Division Foe

The teams played a tight, defensive-minded game in the first half, with the Lions heading into halftime with a 10-6 lead on the strength of a 25-yard touchdown run from Gibbs. The dynamic Lions running back continued to do damage in the second half, scoring on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Jared Goff in the third quarter and adding two more rushing scores in the fourth.

With the performance, Gibbs became just the second Lions player ever to score four touchdowns in a game, joining Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders.

The aggressive Lions defense also hounded quarterback Sam Darnold, holding him below 50% passing and registering two sacks with 10 quarterback hits.

The Lions are looking to move a step further than the 2023 season, when they won the NFC North for the first time in 30 years and advanced to the NFC Championship game, where they squandered a 17-point lead and lost to the San Francisco 49ers.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell has made it clear that the Super Bowl is the team’s only goal this season, and Sunday’s win over the Vikings is a critical step in that direction.

Lions Get Much-Needed Rest Week

The Lions will now have the chance to get rest and recover in the bye week, which could be critical for a team hit hard by injuries. The Lions have seen a number of key players go down on defense, including star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson, who suffered a fractured leg in October.