What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Hard-Fought Loss vs Lions

By Eric Strack |

Updated: Oct 20, 2024

NFL: Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings — Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings hosted the Detroit Lions on Sunday afternoon in what can only be described as an NFC North slobberknocker for the ages. This battle went to the Lions, but they had to earn it, with a 31-29 matchup that lived up to all its pregame hype, and then some.

There is a lot of things to take away from today’s week 7 matchup. But one thing is for sure. No matter who ended up winning this game game that should make Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions fans feel good. Both of the teams on the field today at U.S. Bank Stadium are among the best in football. There is no doubting that anymore.

When the Minnesota Vikings stay balanced, they are better

Let’s get back to the Minnesota Vikings offense for a moment. There were times on Sunday where O’Connell’s scheme looked like it was drawn up by the football gods, themselves. There is no doubting the weapons surrounding Sam Darnold, either.

Speaking of Darnold, he played really damn well vs the Lions. Sure, he threw an interception, but if you are expecting Sam to be prime Aaron Rodgers, then you are living in the wrong reality anyway. The former USC Trojan went 22-of-27 for 259 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.

WE SEE YOU JUSTIN JEFFERSON 🔥

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/6XPhPlJDqZ
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2024

He stood in all day, against a very good Detroit Lions defense, and delivered just about every time. Not being able to find a receiver on their second to last drive of the game hurt, but it’s hard to know who was at fault.

Jalen Nailor did not appear to be in the right spot. That may have forced Darnold to throw high, over Justin Jefferson. He was running a drag route to the right sideline that ended 5-10 yards directly behind where Nailor was standing.

Kevin O’Connell is getting better with balance… Aaron Jones helps

But there were moments during this game, especially in the 2nd quarter, where the Minnesota Vikings struggled to move the ball. One person who deserves blame for that is Kevin O’Connell, who tends to get pass happy with his play calling.

When that happens, like it did today, the offense tends to get stagnant. On the Vikings first drive of the second quarter, they ran five offensive plays. Four were passes, just one was a run. But for the most part

Aaron Jones finished Sunday’s contest with 93 yards and a touchdown that included an incredible 34 yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He only had 14 carries on the day, good of a 6.6 yard per carry average.

VIKINGS TOUCHDOWN ‼️

Jones made it look easy 👏

📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/PNiBpc8VzD
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2024

KOC was able to stay mostly balanced today, and that is what allowed Darnold clean pockets during the Vikings 2nd half comeback. The Minnesota Vikings head coach needs to continue working on being more consistent in the run game, so he can find that perfect balance for 60 minutes

Vikings defense is awesome… but it needs to be better

There is going to be a lot of talk this week about how good the Minnesota Vikings defense is. What is their secret? Is it the window dressing and confusion they are able to create, or there more to it than that?

Because there have been moments throughout the 2024 season where they look absolutely dominant. And don’t mistake that with fraudulence. There are a lot of defensive analytics that love this Vikings team too. They were No. 1 in the NFL in defensive DVOA, entering week 7, and No. 2 in points allowed. We saw that defense throughout the game, Sunday.

Defensive Player of the Year @AndrewVanGinkel

📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/bDLzi1Vypz
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 20, 2024

But there have been times where Brian Flores’ squad looks way too gettable. It appears offenses are finding it easier and easier to make whatever in-game adjustments they need to, in order to find production vs the Vikings defense.

Is the NFL figuring out Brian Flores?

Early in the season, we saw it happen way late in games. For a couple of opponents, the deficit was just too big for them to make it a game. But that has not been the case every time. More recently, we’ve seen teams figure things out earlier and earlier.

On Sunday vs the Detroit Lions, it took them one quarter to figure out the pressure schemes that Flores was sending at the Vikings division rival. And once offensive coordinator Ben Johnson figured out how to attack, it took nearly two full quarters for the Minnesota Vikings defense to counter.

Jared Goff finished 22-of-25 for 280 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Jahmyr Gibbs also averaged 7.7 yards per carry. These are numbers that a good defense just cannot allow. Not if they want to be considered championship caliber.

Gibbs…GONE 🙌#DETvsMIN | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/VGvo0LHytf
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) October 20, 2024

Then, late, they allowed Jared Goff and his receivers to easily march down the field for a game-winning field goal. Those late game drives are starting to become a problem. Yes, it would have been great if Sam Darnold and the offense would have been able to ice the game, but that isn’t going to happen every time.

Brian Flores has to find a way for his defense to play better in the 4th quarter, especially in the closing minutes, when the game is on the line. If he cannot, it will be very difficult for the Minnesota Vikings to win games in the playoffs. There will be at least one time where a win will depend on a late-game stop. So far this season, the Vikings have struggled to deliver.

The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions are both really good

The Dallas Cowboys were exposed last week against the Lions, because they may not be that good. Today, it was the Vikings who punched the Lions in the mouth first. They got Aaron Jones going early, something we predicted in our Bold Predictions column this week.

On the other side of the ball, Detroit’s offense was not ready for the heat Brian Flores brought in the first quarter, Sunday. All that combined for an early purple tornado inside U.S. Bank Stadium that allowed Minnesota to jump out to an early 10-0 lead. Even the special teams unit was in on the early-game domination.

The Lions fake punt with Eric Collins' "OH NO DISASTER" call pic.twitter.com/2bs5PQPyUV
— Vikings Blogger (@firstandskol) October 20, 2024

But, because the Lions are really good, the stumbled back, caught their balance and came back firing lethal haymakers. They found holes in a Vikings defense that many teams have struggled to figure out all season.

As a result, QB Jared Goff picked the secondary apart for the entire 2nd quarter, to give the Detroit Lions lead going into halftime. But even after Minnesota fell behind by 11 points, the Vikings were far from done. Sam Darnold made huge throws and Justin Jefferson made some even bigger catches.

Vikings and Lions both showed a ton of fight today

Don’t forget about the Vikings’ defense, which forced a huge fumble in the 4th quarter, that Ivan Pace Jr returned half the length of the field for a touchdown. This game was back and forth from start to finish. The Vikings’ fatal offensive mistake came on their last drive of the game, when they had the ball in their possession, with a chance to ice the game.

FUMBLE RECOVERED BY THE VIKINGS AND RETURNED FOR A TD!!!!

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/yFcsERXrTt
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 20, 2024

Instead, Darnold & Co went three-and-out, giving the ball back to the Lions, who charged down the field for a game-winning 45-yard-field goal to win the game. Failing on the two point conversion that followed Ivan Pace Jr’s touchdown would have made a huge difference on the Detroit Lions’ final drive too.

Yes, losing sucks, especially a home loss vs a divisional opponent. If the Vikings want to win the division, they will have to beat the Lions in Detroit, when the two teams meet again later this season.

But fans should not lose sleep tonight over their football team, which lost one hell of a 15-round heavyweight NFC North title bout today that went the distance in an extremely close judge’s decision. The Vikings will clean themselves off, and welcome a quick turnaround on Thursday vs the Los Angeles Rams.