Gibbs rushes for 173 yards as Lions snap skid, beat Vikings 38-24

Detroit, MI - Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns, Jared Goff threw two scoring passes and the Detroit Lions ended a three-game losing streak with a 38-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8.

The result reversed the direction of two teams that entered the week on contrasting runs. Detroit had dropped three straight, while Minnesota arrived with a three-game winning streak. Both runs ended as the Lions amassed 462 offensive yards, recorded 24 first downs and forced two interceptions.

Gibbs carried 22 times, the most rushing attempts by any player in the game, and broke a 64-yard run during his game-high performance. Detroit finished with 224 rushing yards, with Gibbs accounting for more than three-quarters of that total. Sione Vaki added 29 yards on eight carries and scored on a 6-yard run with 1:56 remaining in the fourth quarter.

"I kept trusting what was in front of me," Gibbs said. "Twenty-two carries is a real workload, and I wanted every one of them to count. We needed a day where everybody contributed, and that's what it felt like."

Goff complemented the ground production with an efficient passing line. He completed 23 of 27 attempts for a game-high 246 yards, two touchdowns and one interception, finishing with a 113.8 passer rating. His longest completion covered 57 yards, the longest pass play of the game.

Both of Goff's touchdown passes came in the second quarter. He connected with Jameson Williams for a 9-yard score with 6:37 remaining, then found Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 6-yard touchdown at the 1:28 mark.

Williams supplied the largest share of Detroit's receiving production, catching seven passes for a game-high 111 yards and a touchdown. His 57-yard reception was also the game's longest catch. St. Brown finished with three receptions for 20 yards and his touchdown.

"We were accurate and stayed aggressive without feeling like we had to force every throw," Goff said. "Jameson gave us a lot, the run game kept producing, and we finished with the kind of offensive performance we've been looking for."

Detroit's team totals reflected that balance: 238 passing yards, 224 rushing yards and six trips into the red zone. The Lions scored three touchdowns and made one field goal on those red-zone opportunities. Jake Bates converted a 27-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Lions also moved the chains more consistently, finishing 5-for-9 on third down and converting their only fourth-down attempt. Minnesota went 4-for-11 on third down and recorded 16 first downs, eight fewer than Detroit.

Minnesota found far more production on the ground than through the air. The Vikings rushed for 197 yards but finished with 79 team passing yards, producing 276 offensive yards overall.

Jordan Mason led Minnesota with 143 yards on 17 carries and scored twice. His 75-yard touchdown run with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter was the longest rush of the game. Kyler Murray added 33 yards and a rushing touchdown on four attempts.

Mason's performance gave the Vikings a significant source of offense even as their passing game struggled to generate sustained production. Minnesota reached the red zone four times, scoring two touchdowns and making one field goal.

"The rushing numbers were there, but we didn't do enough in the other areas," Murray said. "Eight completions and two turnovers isn't something I can be satisfied with. I have to be more consistent and give us more through the air."

Murray completed 8 of 21 passes for 103 yards, threw two interceptions and posted a 14.6 passer rating. Jordan Addison was Minnesota's leading receiver with four catches for 63 yards, including a 23-yard reception.

Detroit's defense finished with two sacks and two interceptions. Minnesota recorded one sack and intercepted Goff once, but the Lions still generated 186 more offensive yards and eight more first downs.

For Detroit, the 14-point victory brought an emphatic end to its three-game slide. For Minnesota, it closed a three-game winning run despite Mason's two-touchdown, 143-yard rushing performance.

Up Next

The Lions will travel to face the Miami Dolphins in Week 9 looking to build on the victory, while the Vikings return home to host the Buffalo Bills and try to rebound from the loss.