Detroit scored the touchdown four minutes later when Jameson Williams finished a long drive with a 7-yard touchdown run. Minnesota’s attempt to regain the lead ended meekly, after its next possession lasted just three plays and traveled 5 yards before a punt.
Offensive struggles have plagued the Vikings all season. Despite their 6-0 start, they entered the bottom third of the league in scoring average on Sunday, and their 281 yards per game ranked fourth.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s any one thing in particular,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said of his team’s offensive inconsistencies after gaining 266 yards and 15 first downs, nine fewer than Detroit. “We’re just looking for consistent players. It doesn’t have to be much more than guys doing their job. Throwing and catching.”
They relied on a defense that blitzed on 70.8 percent of opportunities in six weeks, the highest percentage since Next Gen Stats began tracking blitzes in 2016.
The Vikings have beaten Lions quarterback Jared Goff at an even higher rate of 89.7%, in 26 of his 29 losses, according to Next Gen Stats. Goff threw an interception against the blitz, but he also completed a touchdown pass and threw for 130 yards because Detroit’s blockers often caught Minnesota’s blitzes.
Minnesota’s defense also had no answer for Gibbs, who forced 12 missed tackles en route to 153 rushing yards.
The game was interrupted for about five minutes in the second half when Lions linebacker Jack Campbell was injured while making a tackle and lay motionless on the turf. He was carried off the field, taken to the hospital and evaluated for a neck injury, according to the team.
“He’s taken care of. We don’t have any new information,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We are thinking of him.”
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