The Minnesota Vikings kept pace in the NFC North race, and the Detroit Lions kept pace for a high draft pick in April as the Vikings topped the visiting Lions 20-7 on Sunday.
Kirk Cousins finished 24-of-30 passing for 242 yards to lead the Vikings.
Minnesota (9-4) has won three of its past four games, while the Lions (3-9-1) have lost six straight.
The Vikings took a 7-0 lead with 5:47 left in the first quarter on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Cousins to Bisi Johnson, which finished off a 10-play, 82-yard drive that took 4:40 off of the clock.
Following a 27-yard field goal by Dan Bailey that gave the Vikings a 10-0 lead with 4:42 left in the second quarter, the Vikings took a 17-0 lead with 20 seconds remaining until halftime on a 3-yard touchdown run by Dalvin Cook.
The scoring drive covered 65 yards in just 46 seconds and came after Lions’ kicker Matt Prater missed a 45-yard field goal.
Following an interception by Minnesota safety Harrison Smith that gave the Vikings the ball at their own 36-yard line, the Vikings drove the field and took a 20-0 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 50-yard field goal by Bailey.
The Lions broke the shutout with 2:09 left in the game on a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback David Blough to Kenny Golladay that gave Minneosta the 20-7 lead.
The Lions got the ball back and drove down to the Minnesota 21-yard line in the final minute, but Minnesota’s Andrew Sendejo picked off a Blough pass in the end zone to end the game.
Cook rushed for 62 yards on 18 attempts for the Vikings.
Making his second career start, Blough went 24-of-40 for 205 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for the Lions. The Lions’ longtime starter, Matthew Stafford, missed his fifth straight game with a back injury.
Minnesota outgained Detroit, 354-231.
–Field Level Media
