Vikings’ Defense Forces Six Turnovers to Eliminate Lions, 23–10

The Minnesota Vikings relied on a dominant defensive performance to defeat the Detroit Lions 23–10 on Christmas Day, forcing six turnovers and recording five sacks to eliminate Detroit from playoff contention at U.S. Bank Stadium. The victory marked Minnesota’s fourth consecutive win and showcased one of the strongest defensive outings in the NFL this season. Veteran safety Harrison Smith delivered one of the most complete performances of his 14-year career, finishing with an interception, a sack, three pass deflections, two tackles for loss, and a quarterback hit. Smith’s leadership energized the home crowd as the Vikings improved to 8–8 on the season. The decisive moment came with 3:43 remaining in the fourth quarter when wide receiver Jordan Addison took a jet sweep 65 yards for a touchdown, sealing the outcome. Prior to the score, Minnesota’s offense had struggled to generate yardage, but the defense consistently put the team in favorable field position.

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff was responsible for three lost fumbles and threw one interception. Two of the fumbles came on errant snaps by backup center Kingsley Eguakun, while another occurred on a sack. Goff finished 18-of-29 for 197 yards and one touchdown, which came late in the second quarter and marked the first passing touchdown allowed by the Vikings in seven games.

Minnesota started undrafted rookie Max Brosmer at quarterback due to injuries, including to J.J. McCarthy. Despite being sacked seven times and throwing for just 51 yards, Brosmer avoided turnovers and managed the game effectively, allowing kicker Will Reichard to convert three field goals. The Vikings’ plus-six turnover margin was the best in the NFL this season and tied for the most in any game over the past nine years. It also marked the franchise’s first game with six takeaways and no turnovers since 1975.

With the loss, Detroit fell to 8–8, while the result clinched at least a wild-card berth for the Green Bay Packers. Both teams will conclude the regular season in Week 18, with the Lions traveling to Chicago and the Vikings hosting Green Bay.