The Detroit Lions have repeated as NFC North Division champions with their 31-9 victory over the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field Sunday night. The win improved the Lions to 15-2 and earned them a first-round bye week in the NFL postseason, while the Vikings fell to 14-3 and now have to go on the road to face Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold particularly struggled, going just 18 of 41 for 166 yards and no touchdowns. He and the Vikings also missed converting on a handful of red zone opportunities against the Lions, costly mistakes that they'll have to ponder on their way to Hollywood.
After missing their fourth opportunity in the red zone, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson was captured on camera giving encouragement to Darnold on the sidelines:
Vikings fans liked what they saw, complimenting Jefferson for the show of encouragement for his struggling teammate.
“That’s awesome to see you. Don’t normally see that in the diva WR position,” wrote @ProDuffer72.
“Justin Jefferson showing some true leadership and support for Sam after that last drive!” added @Anand12636.
“That's what teammates all about,” opined @xMrG__.
“Jefferson’s leadership is ON DISPLAY! Love seeing teammates lifting each other up in crucial moments,” exclaimed @bobbyr75.
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Meanwhile, Lions quarterback Jared Goff had a strong performance by completing 27 of 33 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown.
Sam Darnold, Justin Jefferson and the Vikings are heading for Los Angeles
Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold wasn't in the best of moods after the game, but kept his attention on the big picture, per X.
“Don’t get me wrong, losing sucks, but it is what it is at the end of the day,” he said. “I missed some throws and we lost to a good team. We have an opportunity to go to the playoffs and play another really good team in LA. That’s kind of the story from our end.”
Darnold and the Vikings will take on the Rams on Sunday, January 13 starting at 8:00 PM EST.
