DETROIT — Everything we knew to be true about the Detroit Lions was turned on its head in Sunday’s 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field.
Quarterback Jared Goff, who has historically owned the defense of Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, had no answers until the game was out of reach. He was sacked five times as the Lions went a dismal 5-for-17 on third down.
The Lions’ run defense allowed 4.5 yards per carry as Vikings running back Aaron Jones ran the ball nine times for 78 yards, and Jordan Mason had 10 for 36.
On one of the Lions’ longest runs of the day, David Montgomery picked up enough yardage to move the chains on third-and-13 but fumbled the ball, giving Minnesota the ball at its 35-yard line with 8:19 to go in the third quarter. Jahmyr Gibbs was limited to 40 rushing yards on 11 carries, and Montgomery had 25 on nine attempts.
The Lions, favored by 8.5 points, lacked discipline, giving up 77 yards on 10 accepted penalties. They missed tackles on big plays. The special-teams unit was a disaster, providing the Vikings with one emotional boost — and more importantly, good starting field position — after another.
Against a quarterback making just his third career start, the Lions’ passing defense — which just had its best performance of the season — simply came up short. Ex-Michigan star J.J. McCarthy wasn’t perfect, but he made every play that was required of him to win the game.
With the Lions trailing 17-14 midway through the third quarter, superstar receiver Justin Jefferson was forced off the field with an injury. And it just didn’t matter. McCarthy escaped the rush from Aidan Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad, juked linebacker Alex Anzalone in the open field, and gave the Vikings a 24-14 advantage with a 9-yard rushing touchdown.
Football players
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) scores a touchdown ahead of Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch (32) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Contrast that with the Lions in a gotta-have-it situation midway through the fourth: Prior to third-and-9 at the Vikings’ 13-yard line, Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker was called for a false start. After the Lions failed to convert on third-and-14, Jake Bates’ field-goal attempt was blocked and returned deep into Lions territory, where Minnesota put the game out of reach with a 20-yard field goal from kicker Will Reichard.
The Lions got the ball back, down 10, with 3:22 to go. But it turned out to be empty hope, even after Jameson Williams scored a 37-yard touchdown to bring Detroit within 3 points with 1:55 to go. McCarthy connected with ex-Michigan State receiver Jalen Nailor on third down, beating reserve cornerback Arthur Maulet — one of the heroes in Detroit’s win over Tampa.
It was a costly game for the team’s health, too. Left guard Christian Mahogany was carted off with a knee injury, while every member of the offensive line except center Graham Glasgow sustained some sort of injury that forced them to miss time.
LaPorta gave the Lions a 7-0 lead with a terrific individual effort on Detroit’s opening drive. He caught Goff’s first two passes of the game, and then, with the Lions facing fourth-and-4 at the Minnesota 40, LaPorta got open over the middle for a wide-open reception, then dragged half the Minnesota defense into the end zone — with a little help from teammate and receiver Kalif Raymond — for a 40-yard touchdown, his third of the season. LaPorta tallied 66 receiving yards on the opening drive.
But the Vikings got a boost with a 61-yard kick return by Myles Price. After converting on third-and-10 with a screen pass to Aaron Jones, receiver Justin Jefferson caught a one-handed, 10-yard touchdown pass to tie the game, 7-7, with 10:17 to go in the first quarter.
Photo gallery from Vikings at Lions in Week 9
The Vikings took a 14-7 lead with 4:08 to go in the first quarter — their first lead at Ford Field since Dec. 2021. Vikings receiver Jordan Addison beat Maulet for a 31-yard reception on third-and-9 in Detroit territory, and on the very next play, ex-Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson got on the board with a 7-yard touchdown reception.
Another fourth-down conversion tied the game at 14. Raymond gave Detroit starting field position at the Minnesota 35-yard line with his 13-yard punt return. After Montgomery took Detroit deep into Vikings territory, he finished off the drive with a a 2-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1, his fifth touchdown of the season.
Takeaways as Lions have disastrous letdown, lose 27-24 to Vikings
With the Lions’ offense struggling to maintain drives for the remainder of the game, the Vikings regained the lead before halftime. An unnecessary roughness penalty on Hutchinson moved Minnesota well into Lions’ territory, where the drive came to an end — but not before Reichard put the Vikings up, 17-14, with 4:42 to go in the quarter on a 50-yard field goal.
After the Vikings extended their lead to 24-14, the Lions answered with a 41-yard field goal from Bates to make it a one-score game entering the fourth quarter.