Gazing North: It seems that people have forgotten how excellent the NFC North has been lately. With 13 wins in a row, the Vikings took first place in their division. The previous three seasons, the Packers had thirteen victories. With two games remaining with an 11-4 record, the Lions have a chance to move into the 13-win club. — Mike O’Hara
Old guard: Taylor Decker, one of the team’s elder statesmen, has had some difficult times in Detroit. Following the game, he was incredibly emotional both on the field and in the locker room as well as when addressing the media from the platform. Frank Ragnow, a center, is the same. As it has been all season, Detroit’s offensive line proved to be a strength on Sunday.
“Playing with guys you love makes it mean so much more,” Decker remarked following the match. “Our mutual concern for one another is genuine. That represents the club as a whole, not just the offensive line. Everyone is affected. Therefore, doing something significant with guys you truly care about adds a particular touch. It’s simply a unique group.” — Tim Twentyman
Piling on: Amon-Ra St. Brown, a wide receiver, has reached the 100-catch milestone for the second time in his three-year career with 12 catches. He has already tied the record of 106 catches from 2022 with 106. — Mike O’Hara
Good problem to have: Over the past three weeks, how safe has Ifeatu Melifonwu been? In addition to his three sacks, he has 18 tackles, four passes defended, an interception, a forced fumble, and three tackles for loss. It seems like he’s getting along nicely in his new position at safety.
Many clubs probably wish they had an issue like the one the Lions now have. When C.J. Gardner-Johnson is expected to come off injured reserve, how will the Lions distribute the reps at safety? What kinds of special packages may they use with Melifonwu, Garder-Johnson, and Kerby Joseph? — Tim Twentyman
Scoring: The Vikings and Lions each scored in each of the game’s four quarters, with the Lions scoring a touchdown in the third for the second time in a row. After a 13-play, 75-yard drive, St. Brown scored on a one-yard throw from quarterback Jared Goff. — Mike O’Hara
Powerhouse offense: Detroit’s four at-least 13-play scoring drives against the Vikings were 14 (TD), 13 (FG), 13 (TD), and 14 (TD). Of Detroit’s 389 total yards in the game, 293 yards came from those four touchdown drives. — Tim Twentyman
Star Rookie: Jahmyr Gibbs, a running back, is a star rookie. He is the third player in franchise history to finish a season with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards and ten touchdowns. He becomes a member of a select club that includes Billy Sims and Barry Sanders.
Watch the play he made on cornerback Akayleb Evans when he ran for eighteen yards on a fourth-and-one play in the third quarter. It had a Barry-like quality. In the victory, Gibbs accumulated 100 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns. — Tim Twentyman
