DETROIT, Mich. — The Detroit Lions jumped out to a 9-0 lead late in the second period before the Minnesota Vikings rallied and then cruised to a 27-9 triumph in their NFL battle at Ford Field on Sunday afternoon.
Detroit brought a 5-9 record into the contest while Minnesota came in at 7-6-1.
The Vikes entered the game as 4 1/2-point favorites. Minnesota is quarterbacked by Holland’s Kirk Cousins, a graduate of Holland Christian and Michigan State.
The Lions received the opening kickoff and the two teams traded possessions until Detroit got on the board on Matt Prater’s 47-yard field goal for a 3-0 edge, which remained in effect at the initial break.
In the second stanza Prater tacked on a 35-yarder and then a 48-yarder for a 9-0 bulge. Then with time winding down, Cousins found Adam Thelen wide open for 40 yards to propel Minnesota deep into Lions territory. Cousins then connected with Stefon Diggs for an 8-yard scoring strike to trim the gap to 9-7.
Cousins then made good on a last-second 44-yard “Hail Mary” pass to Kyle Rudolph for a 14-9 Vikings lead at intermission.
Minnesota came out for the third quarter inspired and immediately went up 17-9 on a Dan Bailey field goal.
That score stood up until early in the finale, when Rudolph hauled in another TD pass from Cousins for a 24-9 advantage. Bailey then contributed a 29-yard field goal to put the Vikings up 27-9, a margin that stood until the final gun.
Next up for the Lions will be their season finale – a trip to Lambeau Field to meet the Green Bay Packers at 1 p.m. next Sunday. Detroit prevailed 31-23 when the two met Oct. 7 at Ford Field.
Meanwhile, the Vikings will host the NFC North champion Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium at the same time next Sunday afternoon.
EARLIER STORY:
https://fox17online.com/2018/12/23/lions-trail-cousins-and-vikings-14-9-at-halftime/
