ClutchPoints
The Detroit Lions returned from their bye week refreshed, rested, and completely unprepared. What should have been a chance to tighten their grip on the NFC North became a frustrating display of undisciplined football and squandered opportunities. The heavily favored Lions delivered one of their most uneven performances of the season, falling 27-24 to the Minnesota Vikings.
The game began with promise. Detroit’s defense forced an early punt, and the offense moved efficiently downfield. From there, though, everything went off-script. The Vikings capitalized on a David Montgomery fumble, a blocked field goal, and a pair of special teams miscues to build a lead they would never relinquish. Quarterback JJ McCarthy made the Lions pay for every mistake. He threw for two touchdowns and playing mistake-free football in his return from injury.
Detroit tried to rally late, of course. Goff led a spirited fourth-quarter drive to pull within three. However, it wasn’t enough. The loss dropped the Lions to 5-3 and reignited concerns about their inconsistency against division rivals.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss the Detroit Lions most to blame for their brutal loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9.
For much of the past two seasons, Goff has been the Lions’ steadying force. On Sunday, though, he looked hesitant, uncomfortable, and overwhelmed. Due to the Vikings’ relentless defensive pressure, Goff never quite found his rhythm.
He completed 67 percent of his passes for 248 yards and one touchdown. Still, that efficiency masked deeper issues. Goff was sacked five times, often holding onto the ball too long or missing open receivers on critical downs. The offense converted just five of 15 third-down attempts. That was a testament to both Minnesota’s defensive aggression and Detroit’s inability to adjust.
Even worse, Goff’s internal clock seemed to vanish under pressure. Several of his sacks came on plays where he had ample time to throw but failed to trust his reads. The Vikings’ defensive front, led by Eric Wilson, exploited that indecision. They collapsed the pocket and forced Detroit into predictable passing situations.
It’s hard to pin the entire loss on Goff, though. As we’ll see later, the offensive line struggled mightily. Despite that, as the veteran leader of a playoff-caliber roster, Goff’s inability to elevate the offense when it mattered most was glaring.
If Goff’s inconsistency was disappointing, the Lions’ misuse of Jahmyr Gibbs was downright baffling. The dynamic running back was a nonfactor for most of the game.
Gibbs finished with just nine carries for 25 yards and three receptions for three yards. It was a stunningly low output for a player who can change games with one touch. Worse, his pass protection was a liability. He gave up two sacks on blitz pickups. This led to stalled drives and missed scoring chances.
The Vikings’ front seven clogged running lanes and forced Detroit into passing situations. However, Detroit’s offensive...
