The Detroit Lions had a high-profile game against the NFC North rivals the Minnesota Vikings on Christmas Day, and it was the last chance for the Lions to keep their hopes alive for the postseason. Going into the game, the Lions had a 2% chance of making the postseason, according to NFL research, and a win would take them to 7% while a loss would drop them to less than 1%.
So, emotions were high during the game, and both teams gave it their all, even though the Vikings were already eliminated from the playoffs before the game started. “So, Minnesota, short week. These guys have won three in a row,” Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell said on Monday, December 22, ahead of the game.
He added, “Finding ways to win. Playing really good defense and controlling the ball over there offensively. A little more ground and pound and play-action. So, got our hands full, but that’s what we’re charged with. Next one up.”
But, that didn’t happen, and the Detroit Lions dropped the game, with a 23-10 final score. What’s even worse is that the Vikings didn’t even have their franchise quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, playing. Following the game, they got even worse news.
The Detroit Lions Are Out
With their loss to the Vikings on Christmas Day, the Detroit Lions are out of the playoffs. They just can’t mathematically make it anymore.
Even if they had won, they would have only had a slim chance of making it, but at least those hopes would have been alive until this weekend’s games.
So, the Detroit Lions will have some major soul-searching to do after the regular season winds down. A team with this much talent should be in the playoffs.
Amon-Ra St. Brown News From the Detroit Lions
During the game, the wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown went down towards the end of the game with an injury. Considering that the Lions are out of the postseason, there’s really no reason for him to play the final game of the season. He needs to rest up.
But, before that, during the game, the Lions announced that St. Brown produced his fourth 100-catch season, which is a new franchise record. Not only that, but St. Brown also made NFL history. “Reaching 100 receptions on the season, Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is the first player in NFL history to record at least 100 receptions in four of a player’s first five-career seasons,” the Lions also shared.
“Amon is one of a kind,” one follower said on X. “Top three wide receiver every single year and still incredibly slept on.”
Ahead of the Vikings game, Campbell talked about what the team had to do differently to beat the Vikings verses what they’ve been doing.
“We had some penalties that killed us,” he said on Monday, regarding the team’s loss to the Steelers. “We had a lot of MA’s and we turned the ball over. Had a blocked field goal. So, there was a number of things we did in that game that were self induced.”
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