Detroit Lions lose again, 19-17, this time on 54-yard field goal by Minnesota Vikings

How many times can the Detroit Lions lose games 19-17 on long field goals?

The Minnesota Vikings find ways to lose. The Detroit Lions usually find ways to wind up on the short end of the score. Something had to give Sunday in Minnesota.

And it was the Lions, who suffered another brutal beat in an NFC North clash.

The Vikings led 16-6 in the final quarter and somehow allowed the winless Lions to score 11 points in the final 15 minutes.

The Lions thought they were in good shape after they scored a touchdown and converted a 2-point conversion following an Alexander Mattison fumble that gave Detroit the ball deep in Minnesota territory.

Not so fast. Poor Dan Campell. The Lions left just enough time on the clock for the Vikings to move into field-goal range.

Detroit, which has already lost a game on a 66-yard field goal by Justin Tucker against the Baltimore Ravens, was in the same position, leading 17-16 and …

Greg Joseph came on and nailed a 54-yard field goal to give the Vikings the victory, 19-17.

Yes, the Lions have lost a pair of games 19-17 on field goals that have totaled 120 yards.

Ouch.

Not that anyone has forgotten but when the Detroit Lions lost to the New Orleans Saints on Tom Dempsey’s then-record 63-yard field goal, the final score was … 19-17.