A bitter taste will remain in the mouths of the Minnesota Vikings as they enter the offseason on a four-game losing streak after falling 30-20 in Sunday’s season finale against the NFC North champion Lions in Detroit.
Had the Vikings won, it wouldn’t have mattered anyway because both the Buccaneers and Saints won and Minnesota needed one of them to lose to avoid elimination. They also would’ve needed the Packers and Seahawks to lose later Sunday. Instead, Minnesota will select 10th, 11th or 12th in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Questions now turn to the future of key players Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Harrison Smith, Danielle Hunter, Christian Darrisaw and others. Cousins and Hunter are set to become free agents in mid-March, Jefferson and Darrisaw are expected to command new contracts and Smith’s $19.2 million cap hit in 2024 may be too rich for Minnesota’s blood.
Jefferson was one of the few bright spots in the season finale. He racked up 192 receiving yards on 12 catches to finish with more than 1,000 yards for a fourth straight season – doing it despite missing eight games with an injured hamstring.
Ending the season with a record of 7-10 marks the 11th season with at least 10 losses in franchise history and the first since the 2013 Vikings finished 5-10-1.
Here’s how the game developed…
After a 42-yard punt return by Khalif Raymond, the Lions went 52 yards in five plays and scored on Jared Goff’s two-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Sam Laporta. Minnesota responded with a three-and-out and the Lions went 64 yards in eight plays with Jahmyr Gibbs making it 13-0 on a three-yard rushing touchdown.
Minnesota chipped away with a pair of Greg Joseph field goals to keep the game within striking distance at 13-6 at the half, but after Joejuan Williams was flagged for pass interference in the end zone midway through the third quarter, David Montgomery’s 13th rushing touchdown of the season two plays later put Detroit up 20-6.
Williams was in the game after starting cornerback Akayleb Evans was benched. It was the second consecutive game Evans was benched after getting the start.
Justin Jefferson then put the Vikings on his back, making an incredible sideline catch on third down before hauling in a 38-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-one to cut Detroit’s lead to 20-13.
.@JJettas2 out there doing his thing.
📺: @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/PhU8v41RXc
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 7, 2024
Jefferson finished the day with 12 catches for 192 yards and a touchdown. He finished the season with 68 receptions for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns, joining Randy Moss, A.J. Green, Mike Evans and Michael Thomas as the only receivers since 1970 to begin their career with four straight 1,000-yard seasons.
Any hope of Jefferson’s touchdown giving Minnesota momentum was dashed on Detroit’s first play from scrimmage on the next drive – it was the first play of the fourth quarter – as Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown. St. Brown finished the day with seven catches for 144 yards and a score.
JG 🎯ASB for the 7⃣0⃣ strike!@JaredGoff16 @amonra_stbrown#MINvsDET |📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/kgYmhNwQoO
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 7, 2024
But back came the Vikings with a 29-yard completion to Jefferson followed by Mullens going deep to rookie Jordan Addison for a 42-yard touchdown, trimming the lead to 27-20 with 13:22 to go.
Detroit chewed a little more than five minutes off the clock and went up by ten, 30-20, with 8:14 to play on a 39-yard field goal by Michael Badgley. They put the final dagger in Minnesota when Mullens was hit as he threw and intercepted by Cameron Sutton with 3:11 remaining.
Mullens threw for 391 yards, two scores and two interceptions in his third start this season, but he was sacked four times and hit many times more. Mullens was sacked 12 times and threw eight interceptions in his last 14 quarters.
Up next: Vikings exit interviews and on to the offseason this coming week.
