Vikings lose to Lions 31-9, get No. 5 seed in NFC Playoffs
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings are the No. 5 seed for the NFC Playoffs, and will face the L.A. Rams in the Wild Card Playoffs on Jan. 13.
The Vikings had a chance to clinch the NFC North title, the No. 1 seed, get a first round bye and earn home field, but got run over by Jahmyr Gibbs in a 31-9 loss to the Lions on Sunday Night Football at Ford Field. The loss snaps a nine-game win streak as the Vikings finish the regular season 14-3. It's an alarming way to lose with so much at stake.
"It doesn’t change anything about the fact of what this team is made of. We can’t win nine in a row and lose one and allow it to change how we operate," Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said after the loss. "Sometimes you get hit in the mouth and you’ve got to respond. I was part of a team in 2021 that lost our last game and found a way to do what we needed to do."
Vikings locker room reacts to 31-9 loss to Lions
Vikings players Shaq Griffin, Cam Bynum, Garrett Bradbury, Josh Metellus and Justin Jefferson react after a 3-9 loss to the Lions Sunday night at Ford Field. The Vikings are the No. 5 seed for the NFC Playoffs and head to L.A. for the Wild Card Playoffs.
Jahmyr Gibbs dominates
How it happened: The Vikings had no answer defensively for Gibbs, who had 23 carries for 139 yards and three touchdowns. He added a receiving touchdown as the Lions pulled away in the second half. His two fourth quarter touchdowns put the game away.
Major struggles for Sam Darnold
Why it matters: Sam Darnold has had an incredible season with 35 passing touchdowns, but he had one of his worst games of the season at the worst time. He didn’t look ready for the big stage, missing open receivers at key times. The Vikings had the ball in the red zone four times, didn’t get a single touchdown and managed just nine points. Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison combined for only four catches and 54 yards.
"This came down to our ability to put seven on the board in the first half. You’ve got to turn those things into some real points against a team like that," O'Connell said. "If we’re kicking field goals all day against, we’re going to have to score some touchdowns eventually to give ourselves a chance to win the game."
Darnold was 18-of-41 for 166 yards as the Vikings were a combined 3-of-15 on third and fourth down against a Lions' defense depleted by injuries. They’ll need much better play from Darnold to have any chance to advance in the playoffs.
"Didn’t hit the throws that I should hit in the red zone. Just didn’t execute the way that we wanted to. Going down in the red zone and kicking field goals, that’s not going to cut it against a good team like that," Darnold said. Gotta hit the throws, it’s as simple as that. If we execute early in the red zone, I think it’s a different game."
What’s going on with Will Reichard?
Why it matters: The rookie kicker made three field goals Sunday night, but struggled in huge moments. He missed two other kicks, and had a crucial kickoff out of bounds near the end of the first half that gave the Lions three points and a 10-6 lead. They’re mistakes that simply cannot happen in the playoffs.
Vikings bound for Los Angeles
What we know: With the loss, the Vikings drop to the No. 5 seed at 14-3 and will face the L.A. Rams on Monday Night Football on Jan. 13 in the Wild Card Playoffs. The Vikings lost to the Rams in L.A. on Thursday Night Football in Week 8.