Lions clinch division title, NFC’s No. 1 seed in playoffs

Listed here are 5 takeaways from the common season finale:

NFC runs by means of Detroit

After dismantling the Vikings on Sunday evening, the street to the Tremendous Bowl runs by means of the Motor Metropolis after the Lions claimed back-to-back NFC North titles.

Regardless of QB Jared Goff’s two interceptions, Detroit was balanced in all phases. With six catches for 77 yards, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown turned the third participant in NFL historical past to have 115+ receptions and 10+ receiving TDs in consecutive seasons.

The Lions’ protection got here to play as properly. Together with Week 18, Minnesota is averaging 25.4 PPG, good for ninth within the league based on StatMuse. Detroit held it to a season-low 9 factors.

Detroit flexed its muscle and confirmed what the remainder of the NFC is in for in the course of the postseason.

Vikings blow alternative, hit the street for Tremendous Wild Card Weekend

Even with 14 wins and a nine-game profitable streak earlier than Sunday evening’s loss, the Vikings will head to SoFi Stadium to face the fourth-seed Los Angeles Rams on Tremendous Wild Card Weekend.

The sport will probably be a rematch of a Week 8 assembly, received by the Rams, 30-20. Minnesota solely went 2-of-4 within the pink zone and dedicated 9 penalties for 50 yards in that loss.

If the Vikings are going to avenge their solely loss to a crew aside from Detroit this season, these two areas must be improved, as will the effectivity of QB Sam Darnold after a depressing efficiency on Sunday.

Vikings have brutal evening in pink zone

With the stress on to clinch the NFC North and a first-round bye, the Vikings couldn’t ship within the pink zone when it mattered most.

On Sunday evening, the Vikings have been 0-of-4 within the pink zone. This fourth down cease from Detroit saved the Lions in entrance, 10-6, early within the third quarter.

Minnesota had gone 68 yards in 3:02 to begin the second half earlier than the cease. Within the first half, the Vikings turned the ball over on downs and needed to accept a pair of discipline targets within the pink zone.

The Vikings couldn’t discover the top zone regardless of a number of alternatives all through the evening.

Jahmyr Gibbs has evening to recollect

Though the lack of RB David Montgomery to an MCL harm in his left knee gave the impression to be pricey to the Lions, Gibbs has taken to his elevated function extremely properly.

This four-yard rush with 5:14 left put the Lions up 31-9 and gave the second-year participant out of Alabama his fourth TD of the sport.

Gibbs’ 20 complete TDs this season are a franchise file. He joins Barry Sanders as the one working backs in crew historical past to file 4 TDs in a single recreation.

Gibbs had 23 carries for 139 yards and 4 TDs (one receiving). This was his fifth recreation of the season with 100 or extra dashing yards, which is probably the most by a Lions participant since Sanders in 1997.

Gibbs’ efficiency on Sunday evening was merely sensational.

Sam Darnold was seeing ghosts once more

Coming into Week 18, Darnold had career-bests in passing yards (4,153) and TDs (35). It was the exact opposite for him on Sunday evening.

The Lions held Darnold to 18-of-41 for 166 yards. Based on Kevin Seifert of ESPN, Darnold had eight overthrows by the halfway level of the sport, which was the second-most he has had in a recreation in his profession. The one recreation he was worse was in Week 7 of 2019 vs. the Patriots whereas he was with the Jets. Darnold had 12 in that recreation.

Darnold has been spectacular all through the 2024 season. Sunday evening was not considered one of his higher outings, to say the least.