GAME RECAP:  Minnesota Vikings 34 Detroit Lions 24

SCOREBOARD	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	FINAL
VIKINGS	10	3	3	18	34
LIONS	0	3	7	14	24

SCORING SUMMARY:

First Quarter  MIN - Jarius Wright catches a 3 yard pass from Christian Ponder (Blair Walsh kick is good) @ 7:52. Drive: 7 plays, 67 yards in 3:31.  MIN - Blair Walsh makes a 48 yard kick @ 5:41. Drive: 4 plays, -5 yards in 1:57. Second Quarter  DET - Jason Hanson makes a 41 yard kick @ 11:07. Drive: 12 plays, 69 yards in 6:47.  MIN - Blair Walsh makes a 23 yard kick @ 4:41. Drive: 13 plays, 81 yards in 6:26. Third Quarter  MIN - Blair Walsh makes a 23 yard kick @ 5:14. Drive: 9 plays, 43 yards in 4:50.  DET - Brandon Pettigrew catches a 16 yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick is good) @ 2:55. Drive: 4 plays, 81 yards in 2:16. Fourth Quarter  MIN - Kyle Rudolph catches a 20 yard pass from Christian Ponder (Adrian Peterson runs for a 2 Pt. Conversion) @ 14:15. Drive: 8 plays, 62 yards in 3:40.  DET - Titus Young catches a 1 yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick is good) @ 11:32. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards in 2:43.  MIN - Adrian Peterson runs for 61 yards (Blair Walsh kick is good) @ 8:06. Drive: 2 plays, 75 yards in 1:07.  MIN - Blair Walsh makes a 33 yard kick @ 1:53. Drive: 5 plays, 30 yards in 3:16.  DET - Calvin Johnson catches an 11 yard pass from Matthew Stafford (Jason Hanson kick is good) @ 1:53. Drive: 10 plays, 80 yards in 2:43.

NFL.com Game Links:    Game Center    Game Info    Drive Chart    Highlights

DETROIT LIONS GAME BALLS:

Calvin Johnson	Matt Stafford	Nick Fairley
12 cathes, 207 yards and a TD for the nerve damanged Johnson	Showed better touch throwing for over 300 yards with 3 TDs	Four tackles and a sack as the big man was disruptive up front

TEAM STATISTICS	LIONS	VIKINGS
1st Downs	23	18
Rushing	2	8
Passing	19	9
Penalty	2	1
3rd-Down Conversions	1-9	4-14
4th-Down Conversions	0-0	0-0
Punts-Average	6-38.0	5-48.6
Return Yards	84	99
Punts-Returns	3-48	2-6
Kickoffs-Returns	2-36	5-90
Int.-Returns	0-0	1-3
Penalties-Yards	6-57	7-47
Fumbles-Lost	2-1	1-0
Time Of Pos.	25:36	33:31
">Total Net Yards	368	404
Total Plays	61	67
Average Gain	6.0	6.0
Net Yards Rushing	60	190
Rushes	17	34
Avg. Per Rush	3.5	5.6
Net Yards Passing	308	214
Comp.-Att.	28-42	24-32
Yards Per Pass	7.0	6.5
Sacked-Yards Lost	2-21	1-7
Had Intercepted	1	0
Touchdowns	3	3
Rushing	0	1
Passing	3	2
Other	0	0
Extra Points	3-3	3-3
Kicking	3-3	2-2
Other	0-0	1-1
Field Goals	1-1	4-4
Red Zone Efficiency	3-4-75%	1-4-25%
Goal To Go Efficiency	1-1-100%	1-2-50%
Safeties	0	0

INDIVIDUAL PLAYER STATS:

Passing

Rushing

Receiving

GAME SUMMARY:

The Lions rode into Minnesota having won three of four while the Vikings had been struggling. With a chance to leapfrog their divison foes in the standings, it would be the Vikings who would complete the series sweep by beating the Lions 34-24. While Minnesota moves to 6-4 and keeps their playoff hopes very much alive, the Lions fell below .500 at 4-5 with a number of tough games approaching on the schedule. It was another frustrating game in which the Lions fell behind early and had to try to rely on a fourth quarter comeback to pull it out. You can only go to the well so many times. The Lions wasted a huge effort by Calvin Johnson who went for over 200 yards on the day. But the challenged Vikings offense put up over 400 total yards on the Lions defense with big plays in both the rushing and passing game.

It was not a good start for the Lions. They would get the ball first but be unable to overcome a crackback block by Ryan Broyles. The Vikings would get a 54-yard pass to rookie Jarius Wright down to the one before the fourth round pick from Arkansas would score his first NFL touchdown. A Matt Stafford pass intended for Pettigrew would be picked off and the Vikings would add three more for a quick 10-0 lead. That is how the quarter would end. The Lions would drive deep into Minnesota territory looking for their ninth straight redzone touchdown but have to settle for a Jason Hanson field goal to get on the board. The Vikings, however, would put together a long drive of their own and add a field goal also to push their lead back to ten. Each team would get the ball a few more time, but neither would be able to score. It would be the eighth time in nine games the Lions trailed at halftime.

The Viking would add yet another field goal midway through the third quarter. The Lions would finally find the endzone in the third quarter after Calvin Johnson caught a 52-yard pass to get Detroit in striking distance. Stafford would lob a nice pass to Pettigrew to close the gap to just six. In honor of Veterans Day, Pettigrew would give a nice salute following the score. That is how the third quarter would end but with the Vikings driving. Kyle Rudolph who killed the Lions all day picking up first downs would score an early fourth quarter touchdown as the Lions failed to bring him down. Adrian Peterson would drive it in up the middle for the two-point play to push the lead to 14. But the Lions live for the fourth quarter! Detroit would march right down the field on an efficient six-play, 80-yard drive ending with a short pass to Titus Young in the endzone to cut it back to a one score game. A three-and-out by the Vikings and 31 punt return by Logan had the Lions in good shape starting their next drive at their 48, best starting field position of the day. Unfortunately they would go backwards. Adrian Peterson would break lose with a 61-yard touchdown run to move Minnesota back up by two touchdowns. To make matters worse, cornerback Chris Houston would be carted off the field.

Calvin Johnson would fumble on the Lions next possession and that would lead to a Vikings field goal and putting the game away for all intent and purposes. Calvin would catch his second touchdown pass of the season, and first from Stafford, with just under two minutes remaining to keep a sliver of hope alive. Needed to force a three-and-out, Sammie Lee Hill would hit a sliding Christian Ponder on the head to give the Vikings an automatic first down. Game over!

PHOTO OF THE GAME:

Mikel Leshoure tries to avoid the Vikings tacklers.

NEXT GAME:

The Detroit Lions return to Ford Field next week to face the Green Bay Packers at 1:00 PM.

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Written by: Paul Donaghy, Senior Writer