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DETROIT — Jahmyr Gibbs emerged as the decisive player that the Detroit Lions needed to ignite their potent offense, securing them a first-round bye and home-field advantage for the NFC playoffs.
In a convincing 31-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night, Gibbs scored three of his tie-franchise record four touchdowns in the second half, leading the Lions to their second consecutive NFC North title.
“Everybody’s got to come through here, baby!” exclaimed Detroit defensive end Za’Darius Smith to the energized crowd following the game.
The Lions, finishing the season with a remarkable 15-2 record, and the Vikings at 14-3, may face each other once again in two weeks’ time.
The Lions will enjoy a well-deserved week off to recuperate, while the Vikings prepare to battle the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams next Monday night.
In a historic season finale, both teams entered the game with a total of 28 wins combined, marking the first time in three decades that a No. 1 seed was decided in the last game of the regular season.
Looking back, in 1993, Dallas clinched the top seed against the New York Giants with a 16-13 overtime victory, a seeding they utilized to propel themselves to Super Bowl success. Meanwhile, that same year, the Giants defeated Minnesota in the wild-card round before suffering a loss to San Francisco.
The Lions aspire for similar success this time around as they seek their maiden Super Bowl appearance and aim to end a championship drought that stretches back to 1957. This marks the first instance in franchise history that they have secured the No. 1 seed.
“It’s not the cherry on top,” stated quarterback Jared Goff. “Not yet.”
Despite the high expectations for a thrilling contest featuring Pro Bowl quarterbacks leading explosive offenses, both Goff and Sam Darnold struggled to find their rhythm.
Gibbs took the reins for his team, showcasing his talent and versatility on the field.
“He’s as explosive as any player in the league,” commented Minnesota coach Kevin O’Connell.
He carried the ball 23 times for 139 yards, finding the end zone with a career-high three rushing touchdowns, and caught five passes for 31 yards plus an additional touchdown.
“He was special, and we needed him to be,” reflected Goff on Gibbs’ performance.
Goff did face challenges, throwing two interceptions—his first in the last seven games—but Minnesota was only able to convert those turnovers into field goals during the second and third quarters.
After Vikings rookie Will Reichard’s third field goal brought the score to 10-9 early in the third quarter, Goff orchestrated a 13-play, 70-yard drive that consumed 7:25 of clock and ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Gibbs on fourth-and-2.
Goff completed all eight of his passes during that drive, concluding the game with a tally of 27 out of 33 passes for 231 yards, along with one touchdown and those two interceptions.
Darnold struggled, completing less than half of his passes in the first half and missing chances to add points. The Vikings were unable to score a touchdown in the red zone, leading to a narrow halftime deficit of 10-6. In the second half, they failed to find the end zone on yet another red-zone opportunity.
The Vikings attempted to secure a touchdown on fourth down at the Detroit 3, but Darnold, facing pressure, overthrew an open Justin Jefferson in the end zone.
He faced further disappointment early in the third quarter on another fourth-down attempt from the Lions’ 2, again resulting in an incomplete pass.
“Kicking field goals isn’t going to get it done against that team,” acknowledged Darnold. “I need to make those throws.”
O’Connell made a decision to try a 51-yard field goal late in the third quarter while trailing by eight, but Reichard’s attempt missed wide right.
Darnold ended up with 18 completions on 41 attempts, marking a season-low of a 44% completion rate, and struggled to connect with Jefferson, finishing with just three receptions on nine targets for 54 yards.
“We didn’t execute many of the things we had done well during the season,” O’Connell stated. “Sam has hit those types of plays consistently all year, and I have complete confidence he will succeed next time.”
Injuries plagued both teams during the game. For the Vikings, linebacker Patrick Jones was inactive due to a knee issue. The Lions saw linebacker Alex Anzalone and punt returner/receiver Kalif Raymond return from injuries but faced new issues as cornerback Terrion Arnold and defensive lineman Pat O’Connor sustained injuries during the game, while offensive guard Kevin Zeitler also left the field holding his leg late in the match.
Looking ahead, the Vikings prepare to face the Rams as the NFL’s first 14-win wild card team. Should they be the lowest remaining seed after wild card weekend, they would earn a chance for a rematch with the Lions.
The Lions are set to host a divisional-round match, marking their first bye since Week 5.
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