Minnesota Vikings 23, Detroit Lions 10 | U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis | Week 17 | December 25, 2025
Six turnovers. Three fumbles from one quarterback. A 65-yard jet sweep that broke Detroit’s spirit. If you’re searching for the Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings match player stats from Christmas Day, here it is straight, no sugarcoating. The Vikings defense showed up like a wrecking ball, Jared Goff had arguably his worst game of the season, and Minnesota’s rookie QB Max Brosmer did just enough with almost nothing to hand the Lions their playoff elimination notice. Final score: Vikings 23, Lions 10.
Table of contents
- Score by Quarter
- Team Stats at a Glance
- Quarterback Stats
- Rushing Stats
- Receiving Stats
- Defensive Standouts
- Kicking and Special Teams
- Scoring Summary
- The Turnover Map: Six Gifts to Minnesota
- Context: What Was at Stake
- Aidan Hutchinson’s Return Context
- Harrison Smith: The Most Dominant Player on the Field
- The Jordan Addison Play That Sealed It
- Goff’s Brutal Numbers in Perspective
- Minnesota’s Defense: The Numbers That Matter
- Lions’ Season-Long Impact
- Final Breakdown: What the Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings Match Player Stats Tell Us
Score by Quarter
| Quarter | Detroit Lions | Minnesota Vikings |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 | 0 | 7 |
| Q2 | 7 | 0 |
| Q3 | 0 | 6 |
| Q4 | 3 | 10 |
| Final | 10 | 23 |
Team Stats at a Glance
| Stat | Detroit Lions | Minnesota Vikings |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 231 | 161 |
| Passing Yards (Net) | 163 | 3 |
| Rushing Yards | 68 | 158 |
| First Downs | 16 | 11 |
| Turnovers | 6 | 0 |
| Fumbles Lost | 4 | 0 |
| Interceptions Thrown | 2 | 0 |
| Sacks Allowed | 5 | 7 |
| Penalties | 5 (25 yds) | 3 (20 yds) |
| Time of Possession | 32:30 | 27:30 |
| Plays | 64 | 51 |
| Avg. Gain Per Play | 3.6 | 3.2 |
Detroit actually won the possession battle and racked up more total yards. None of that mattered when they were handing the ball to Minnesota six times.
Quarterback Stats
| QB | Team | CMP/ATT | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | Fumbles Lost | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jared Goff | DET | 18/29 | 197 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 64.9 |
| Max Brosmer | MIN | 9/16 | 51 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 62.2 |
This is the stat line that tells the story of the game. Goff went 18 for 29 for 197 yards and a touchdown pass to Isaac TeSlaa late in the second quarter. On paper, those numbers look serviceable. In reality, the two picks and three lost fumbles were catastrophic. Brosmer finished with 51 passing yards and 48 yards lost on seven sacks, producing just 3 net passing yards, which are the fewest in a win by any team since 2006. Brosmer won with essentially nothing through the air. That says everything about what Minnesota’s defense did to Detroit.
“NFL football is hard, and people say it a lot. NFL football is fun too. That’s not me saying I don’t enjoy this. My favorite part is the process.” — Max Brosmer
Rushing Stats
Detroit Lions
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jahmyr Gibbs | (included in total) | See note | 2.3 avg team | 8 | 0 |
| Team Total | 30 | 68 | 2.3 | 8 | 0 |
Minnesota Vikings
| Player | Carries | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaron Jones | Rush leader | In team total | 5.6 avg team | 65 (TD) | 2 |
| Jordan Addison (sweep) | 1 | 65 | 65.0 | 65 | 1 |
| Team Total | 28 | 158 | 5.6 | 65 | 2 |
The Vikings pounded out 158 yards on the ground. Aaron Jones scored on a 1-yard plunge in Q1, and Jordan Addison took a jet sweep 65 yards for the game-sealing score with under four minutes left. Detroit’s ground game was completely bottled up, averaging just 2.3 yards per carry all afternoon.
Receiving Stats
Detroit Lions
| Player | Targets | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | High | Team leader | In 197 total | — | 28 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaa | — | — | — | — | 4 (TD) | 1 |
| Team Receiving Total | 29 | 18 | 197 | 10.9 | 28 | 1 |
Minnesota Vikings
| Player | Targets | Rec | Yards | Avg | Long | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | Targeted | In team total | In 51 total | — | 10 | 0 |
| Team Receiving Total | 14 | 9 | 51 | 5.7 | 10 | 0 |
Detroit’s lone receiving touchdown came from rookie Isaac TeSlaa on a 4-yard catch. Minnesota’s passing offense was irrelevant because it didn’t need to be anything else. Justin Jefferson was heavily covered all game and barely factored into the box score, a direct result of Brosmer playing so conservatively and the Lions’ defense keying in on him.
Defensive Standouts
| Player | Team | Tackles | Sacks | INT | PD | TFL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrison Smith | MIN | Active | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Aidan Hutchinson | DET | — | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| Al-Quadin Muhammad | DET | — | 2 | 0 | — | — |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | MIN | Fumble rec | — | — | — | — |
| Byron Murphy Jr. | MIN | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Team Defensive Totals
| Stat | Detroit Lions D | Minnesota Vikings D |
|---|---|---|
| Total Sacks | 7 | 5 |
| Sack Yards | 48 | 34 |
| Interceptions | 0 | 2 |
| Forced Fumbles | 0 | 2 |
| Fumble Recoveries | 0 | 4 |
| QB Hits | 9 | 8 |
| TFL | 7 | 8 |
| Passes Defended | 2 | 5 |
| Total Yards Allowed | 161 | 231 |
Harrison Smith had one of the two interceptions and one of the five sacks of Jared Goff. Smith also had three pass deflections, two tackles for loss and one QB hit. It was one of the veteran safety’s best performances in a long career. Detroit’s defense recorded six sacks, two each by Aidan Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad, and only allowed 161 total yards of offense. The Lions’ defense actually played well enough to win. The offense simply gave it all away.
“When you can get out there with a defense like that and a play-caller like that, it’s just fun. I don’t care what day it is. I don’t care what’s on the line. I don’t care what’s at stake. We play a really aggressive style of football that I absolutely love.” — Harrison Smith
Kicking and Special Teams
| Kicker | Team | FG Made/Att | Long | XP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Reichard | MIN | 3/3 | 56 yd | 2/2 |
| Jake Bates | DET | 1/1 | 48 yd | 1/1 |
Minnesota’s kicker Will Reichard was automatic, converting from 52, 56, and 42 yards. That steady contribution kept the scoreboard ticking while Brosmer managed to not explode. Bates hit his only attempt from 48 yards, but Detroit only got one shot at it.
Scoring Summary
| Time | Play | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 1:38 | Aaron Jones 1-yd rush TD (Reichard XP) | MIN 7, DET 0 |
| Q2 1:10 | Isaac TeSlaa 4-yd catch TD (Bates XP) | MIN 7, DET 7 |
| Q3 3:07 | Reichard 52-yd FG | MIN 10, DET 7 |
| Q3 2:02 | Reichard 56-yd FG | MIN 13, DET 7 |
| Q4 4:44 | Bates 48-yd FG | MIN 13, DET 10 |
| Q4 3:52 | Jordan Addison 65-yd sweep TD (Reichard XP) | MIN 20, DET 10 |
| Q4 1:08 | Reichard 42-yd FG | MIN 23, DET 10 |
The Turnover Map: Six Gifts to Minnesota
This is where Detroit’s season died. Six turnovers in a game you need to win to stay alive in the playoff race. Let’s break it down.
- Fumble #1 (Q1): Goff botched a snap in Detroit territory. Andrew Van Ginkel recovered. Aaron Jones scored five plays later.
- Fumble #2: Goff fumbled on a sack.
- Fumble #3 + #4: Errant snaps from backup center Kingsley Eguakun, both lost.
- Fumble #5: Jahmyr Gibbs coughed it up.
- Interception #1: On third-and-18, Goff threw up a prayer, and it was answered by Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who now has an interception and a fumble recovery.
- Interception #2: Harrison Smith picked off Goff for a personal statement moment.
Detroit committed six turnovers, five by quarterback Jared Goff (two interceptions, three fumbles) and had another lost fumble by running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
“The story of the game is turnovers. You can’t turn the ball over six times and win in this league.” — Dan Campbell, Lions Head Coach
Context: What Was at Stake
Both teams walked into Christmas Day at 8-7 on the season. For Detroit, this was essentially a playoff elimination game. Win, stay alive. Lose, go home. The Lions needed this result plus a Green Bay collapse to sneak into the Wild Card.
For Minnesota, the stakes were far lower. The Vikings were already eliminated from the postseason and missing starters at both tackle spots, center and tight end. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer started for the injured J.J. McCarthy at quarterback.
On paper, Detroit should have handled this. A playoff-desperate team against a shorthanded, already-eliminated opponent. Instead, Minnesota’s defense dominated, and Detroit defeated itself over and over again.
The injury situation on both sides was ugly heading in. Lions LB Alex Anzalone and safety Thomas Harper were each sidelined by a concussion, with safety Avonte Maddox inactive with a back injury. Detroit was already patchwork in the secondary before the game even kicked off.
Aidan Hutchinson’s Return Context
One bright spot for Detroit in an otherwise bleak afternoon was Aidan Hutchinson’s continued presence on the field. The edge rusher picked up two sacks, continuing a strong stretch since returning from injury. His 12.5 sacks on the season set a new career high, a personal milestone buried inside a brutal team loss.
For deeper individual performance breakdowns and season-long comparisons across this rivalry, matchvsplayerstats.com has some of the most detailed head-to-head stat archives in one place.
Harrison Smith: The Most Dominant Player on the Field
If one man defined this Christmas game, it was Harrison Smith. The six-time Pro Bowl safety played like a man with something to prove.
- 1 interception of Jared Goff
- 1 sack of Jared Goff
- 3 pass deflections
- 2 tackles for loss
- 1 QB hit
Harrison Smith reveled in his moment with the roaring Minnesota crowd, blowing kisses during an extended showing on the videoboard near the end of one of his best games in a 14-year career.
At 36 years old, Smith was playing with the energy of someone half his age. When asked about his future in the league post-game, Smith was not ready to commit either way, letting the performance do the talking.
The Jordan Addison Play That Sealed It
With Detroit trailing 13-10 and four minutes and 44 seconds left, the Lions forced a punt on Minnesota’s possession. The ball was coming back. There was still time.
Instead, Jordan Addison took a jet sweep handoff 65 yards for the game-sealing touchdown with 3:43 left, the longest run of his career, capping it with a dive at the pylon to make sure the ball got in as he was pushed out of bounds.
One play. 65 yards. Game over.
The Vikings had only 75 net yards before Addison took the ball and burst around the right end untouched for his longest career score. That is how lopsided the Addison run was relative to everything else Minnesota had done offensively all game.
Goff’s Brutal Numbers in Perspective
Jared Goff reached 100 passing interceptions in his career with this game. Not the milestone he would have wanted. With two picks in this one, Goff finished 2025 with 34 touchdowns and a season total of 4,564 passing yards, productive numbers across the full season. But in the game that mattered most, nothing clicked.
The sack situation was ugly. Five times Goff hit the turf. Three of those possessions ended with turnovers because of fumbles. The backup center Kingsley Eguakun, promoted from the practice squad in place of the injured Graham Glasgow, had a rough go of it, and the Lions’ already shuffled offensive line simply could not handle Minnesota’s pressure packages.
Minnesota’s Defense: The Numbers That Matter
The Vikings’ defense has been the reason this team won four straight games heading into Week 18.
- Forced 6 total turnovers in this game
- The first passing touchdown allowed by the Vikings in seven games came from Goff’s strike to TeSlaa.
- Held Detroit to 231 total yards despite Detroit running 64 plays
- Generated 5 sacks of Goff
- Recorded 4 fumble recoveries
The NFC North is genuinely stacked, and Minnesota’s defensive unit showed they belong in any conversation about top defenses in the conference down the stretch.
Lions’ Season-Long Impact
This defeat officially eliminated Detroit from postseason contention. The win gives the Vikings the season sweep against the Lions, who fall to 8-8 and are officially eliminated from playoff contention. It will be the first time since 2022 the Lions have not represented the NFC in the playoffs.
Detroit won the NFC North in back-to-back seasons before this. The departure of offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to coach the Chicago Bears, the rash of injuries, and a season full of inconsistency all caught up with them on Christmas Day.
The Green Bay Packers clinched at least a Wild Card spot as a direct result of this outcome.
Final Breakdown: What the Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings Match Player Stats Tell Us
The numbers from this game paint a clear picture.
Detroit controlled:
- Time of possession (32:30 vs. 27:30)
- Total yards (231 vs. 161)
- Total plays (64 vs. 51)
Minnesota controlled:
- The turnover battle (0 vs. 6)
- The scoreboard
- Short field position all game
Ball security is not a stat category. It is a culture. And on December 25, 2025, Detroit’s broke down completely at the worst possible moment.
For the Vikings, this was a masterclass in doing more with less. A third-string rookie quarterback. Missing multiple starting offensive linemen. Already eliminated from the playoffs. And they still won by 13, sending Detroit home for the winter.
The Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings match player stats from this Christmas showdown will stick around as one of the more painful box scores in recent Lions history, a game defined not by what Detroit lacked in talent, but by what they couldn’t hold onto.
