The winless nightmare is over. The Detroit Lions have won for the first time in a full year, coming from behind to vanquish the visiting Minnesota Vikings, 29-27.
Jared Goff hit Amon-Ra St. Brown just over the Vikings goal line with an 11-yard touchdown pass in front of the Minnesota coverage. St. Brown clutched the ball in both arms, sat down in the end zone and the Lions secured their first win since Week 13 of last season.
It was not pretty, but the Lions don’t need style points. They desperately needed a win and the injury-depleted Vikings proved to be the perfect victim. Detroit raced out to a 20-6 halftime lead with a brilliant half of football, led by Goff playing the best he has all season and a savvy defense that wasn’t missing tackles or blowing coverages.
The tables turned in the second half, alas. Minnesota’s offense figured out to ride star WR Justin Jefferson, and the Goff glass slipper of the first half turned into a rotten pumpkin. The Vikings took a late lead after an abysmal Dan Campbell coaching decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 from the Lions 28-yard line with four minutes to play and Detroit desperately clinging to a lead. Goff was strip-sacked on a hopeless play design, and Minnesota cashed in when Kirk Cousins found Jefferson alone in the end zone.
But the Vikings left over a minute on the clock, and Goff and the Lions proved capable of making them pay. An effective barrage of short passes to the sidelines moved the Lions deep into Minnesota territory. Given one last play, Goff and St. Brown, who caught 10 passes for 89 yards on the day, delivered the Ford Field faithful from yet another devastating loss.
The win improves the Lions to 1-10-1 and drops the Vikings to 5-7. It’s the first win for Campbell as a head coach and the first time Goff has ever won a game for another coach other than Sean McVay in Los Angeles. Detroit snaps the NFL’s longest losing streak in the process.