The 30-year drought is over; the Detroit Lions have won their division! A 30-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings was enough to give the Detroit Lions their maiden NFC North title and book their playoff spot.
It was a dramatic game. The Vikings threw everything they had at the Detroit Lions. But Dan Campbell’s team made enough big plays to win the game. The Lions will host a playoff game for the first time since 1993. It was a franchise-altering win. Here are three takeaways from this memorable win.
Jahmyr Gibbs Is Him
It feels tedious to keep praising rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, but one cannot ignore his performance in this game. Gibbs was at his electric best against the Vikings. The rookie rushed for 80 yards on 15 carries, scoring two touchdowns.
The Alabama product displayed all his attributes; he carried through contact and showed outstanding agility and game-breaking speed. The Detroit Lions hit a bases-clearing triple by picking Gibbs.
His burst is otherworldly. His recorded top speed per Next Gen Stats was 19mph. Three carries went for over ten yards, and he recorded a positive rush-yards-over-expected. Gibbs’ performance was so good that NFL RedZone named him Rookie of The Day.
Ifeatu Melifonwu Is a Revelation
Ifeatu Melifonwu was the Detroit Lions’ best defensive player. The Lions named Melifonwu their player of the game, and it was a no-brainer. The safety tallied five tackles, two sacks, two pass-breakups and the game-winning interception.
Melifonwu is the late-season revelation for Detroit. His ability to trigger downhill as a blitzer and get home was on show in this game, as was his understanding of coverages and route concepts. The third-year defensive back demonstrated his versatility and physicality in this game. He has added a new dimension to the Lions’ defense.
In the last two games, Melifonwu’s stat sheet reads like this: 14 tackles, three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. The Lions’ defense has played better with Melifonwu in the backfield.
Detroit Lions Demonstrated True Grit
The Lions did not play a perfect game. Penalties, a fumble, missed interceptions, and some defensive miscues blighted the Lions. However, Detroit displayed grit, resilience and ice-cool poise.
Rookie Brian Branch dropped an interception on the opening drive; he picked off Nick Mullens on the next drive. Jahmyr Gibbs fumbled the ball on Detroit’s second offensive drive; he was rock-solid afterwards.
The Vikings went bang-bang on either side of halftime to take the lead. The Detroit Lions responded with a 13-play touchdown drive to retake the lead. Even on Minnesota’s final drive, the Lions combated Justin Jefferson’s miracle 3rd down catch with the game-ending interception.
The Lions have flaws, but they are full of grit and toughness. Every time the Vikings challenged Detroit, the Lions responded. These Lions are built tough.
What They Said
Dan Campbell said this after the game:
“This is special. This is a special group. It’s something you don’t get to do all the time. They’re always special to win a division. I don’t care how many of them you get because of the work that goes into it. But to do something that hadn’t been done in 30 years for a team is special, and that’s a special group of men back in there that are staying tame at this point.”
What Next?
The Detroit Lions visit the Dallas Cowboys next Saturday.