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The Minnesota Vikings knew they would need to rely heavily on their defense in order to beat the Detroit Lions on Christmas Day, but few fans could have genuinely predicted the dominant outing they were treated to on Thursday. The home team forced a mind-boggling six turnovers en route to a 23-10 victory, officially ending its divisional rival’s playoff dreams.
Minnesota (8-8) enjoyed a huge holiday feast inside U.S. Bank Stadium. Blake Cashman recorded six solo tackles and a sack, Andrew Van Ginkel recorded one and a half sacks and a fumble recovery. Harrison Smith posted a sack, an interception and two tackles for loss, and the group as a whole stifled Detroit’s usually dynamic rushing attack. Jared Goff committed three fumbles lost and two picks in a nightmarish outing in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was overjoyed by the relentlessness his squad displayed despite already being eliminated from playoff contention.
“I’m just really proud of the collective team effort that it took,” he told the media after Minnesota’s fourth straight win. “The number one priority going into the game was to win the turnover margin, and a pretty phenomenal, historical kind of effort by our defense clearly led the way.”
"I'm just really proud of the collective team effort that it took" -Head Coach Kevin O'Connell on today's win pic.twitter.com/fJyLBtAfWx
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) December 26, 2025
What makes the Vikings’ performance even more amazing is that it came without much support from the other side of the ball. Jordan Addison scored on a 65-yard rushing touchdown and Justin Jefferson secured the W with a record-breaking play — kicker Will Reichard also drilled two 50-plus-yard field goals — but there was only so much the offense could do with the largely inexperienced Max Brosmer at QB. The undrafted talent was just 9-of-16 passing for 51 yards in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy.
Minnesota’s defense picked him up and willed the squad to a much-celebrated Christmas triumph. Yes, the Vikings will still spend the postseason at home, but they are letting everyone know that this group is as gritty as ever.
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