Lions End Vikings' Perfect Season

The Minnesota Vikings lost their first game of the season on Sunday, falling 19-15 to the Detroit Lions in a matchup that ended the home team's perfect record. Jared Goff threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Jameson Williams with 4:35 remaining to seal the result. This marked the Vikings' first loss since a defeat at Seattle on Nov. 30, 2025.

Detroit now holds a 5-2 record and has won three consecutive games. The victory includes their first two contests against division rivals in the NFC North. Minnesota drops to 6-1. The Vikings' defense, which had been the league's stingiest, failed to protect a late lead despite a strong performance for most of the contest.

Jahmyr Gibbs carried the ball for the Lions, gaining 153 yards on the ground. He broke a tackle for a 30-yard score in the third quarter. Goff completed 18 of 25 passes for 176 yards. He threw his first interception of the season. Kyler Murray led the Vikings' offense with 210 passing yards on 17 of 29 attempts. He threw two touchdowns and one interception. The Vikings managed only 81 yards of total rushing offense.

The game began with a scoreless tie. Jake Bates kicked a 25-yard field goal to give Detroit an early lead. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Williams committed taunting penalties on the first two drives. St. Brown later had a potential touchdown catch reversed after a review showed he did not secure the ball while falling in the end zone.

The Vikings took a 7-3 lead in the second quarter. Kyler Murray threw a 1-yard pass to Justin Jefferson, who caught the ball with his left hand before hitting the turf. D.J. Reed intercepted a pass late in the quarter to stop a Vikings drive. Detroit converted a fourth-and-1 from their 47-yard line in the first half. Bates added a 37-yard field goal to make the score 7-6 at the break.

Bates missed a 46-yard attempt early in the third quarter. The ball hit the left upright. In the second half, coach Kevin O'Connell declined a field goal opportunity on fourth-and-5 from the Detroit 25. Kyler Murray threw an incomplete pass. He later threw an 8-yard score to T.J. Hockenson and a 2-point conversion to Jordan Addison. That sequence gave Minnesota a 15-12 lead midway through the fourth quarter.

Injuries affected both squads during the game. Vikings safety Theo Jackson suffered a quad injury. Lions linebacker Jack Campbell was carted off with a neck injury and taken to a hospital. Safety Brian Branch and edge rusher DJ Wonnum were evaluated for concussions after a collision and did not return. The Vikings host the Buffalo Bills on Monday, Nov. 9. The Lions play at the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.