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| ATL at NO | CIN at IND | CLE at TEN | DAL at PIT | HOU at GB | JAX at CHI | KC at DEN | MIA at BUF |
| MIN at DET | NE at SEA | NYJ at SF | OAK at SD | PHI at NYG | STL at ARI | TB at CAR | WAS at BAL |
Week 14 Game Recap: Minnesota Vikings 20, Detroit Lions 16
What you need to know
| Minnesota Vikings |
Owners of Adrian Peterson who watched the Tennessee Titans carve up the Detroit run defense on Thanksgiving were likely licking their chops with the matchup presented in this game. Unfortunately for Peterson owners, Detroit's defense bent but did not break as Peterson ran for 102 yards on 25 carries without a score.
Backup QB Tarvaris Jackson came on in relief of an injured Gus Frerotte and looked far better than the starter. He led the Vikings to 17 second half points against Detroit without turning the ball over, after Frerotte had led the team to just three first half points while turning it over twice.
TE Visanthe Shiancoe continued his impressive campaign, snagging a team high five passes for 65 yards including a touchdown.
DE Jared Allen suffered what looked to be a potentially nasty knee injury late in the first half. He returned to play in the second half, however, and actually had two sacks and a forced fumble.
| Detroit Lions |
WR Calvin Johnson proved once again that he doesn't need a lot of work in order to be effective. He caught just three passes, but one of them was a 70 yard touchdown bomb. That alone gave him a productive fantasy day.
QB Daunte Culpepper turned in arguably his finest performance as a Lion. He did lose two fumbles, but he made good decisions with his passes, and made a vintage Culpepper pass on a perfectly-thrown 70 yard touchdown pass to Calvin Johnson. Culpepper may have injured his arm on the next to last play of the game, however.
RB Kevin Smith had 90 hard fought yards from scrimmage, including 63 on the ground. Considering the state of the Detroit offensive line and the effectiveness of Minnesota's defensive line, this has to be considered a very good performance by Smith.
What you ought to know
| QB Tarvaris Jackson, Pass: 8 - 10 - 105 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 2 - -1 - 0 |
Gus Frerotte injured his back trying to make a tackle attempt after his second interception of the first half. It was his final play of the afternoon after leading the Vikings to just three first half points. Jackson took over in the second half, and proved to be an immediate upgrade. Jackson threw just one pass on his opening series, but just his mere presence may have been enough to create running room for the backs. It was reported at halftime that Detroit head coach Rod Marinelli said he was going to alter the team's defensive strategy to account for Jackson's rushing abilities. It showed, as Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor combined to rush for 47 yards and a touchdown on four carries during the team's opening drive in the second half. Jackson later went on to toss a touchdown pass of his own off a rollout, to TE Visanthe Shiancoe. He didn't have a favorite target, instead spreading the ball around to whoever was open. Jackson only made one big mistake, when he floated an ill-advised pass into a crowd of Lions while under pressure. He was bailed out when no one on Detroit could haul the pass in. He made up for that duck with a perfectly-thrown third down pass to Bobby Wade to extend one drive and showed outstanding touch on a high floating screen pass to Chester Taylor that went for another first down to extend that same drive. If nothing else, Jackson has at least started a conversation about whether he deserves to start going forward regardless of the health status of Gus Frerotte.
| QB Gus Frerotte, Pass: 7 - 10 - 70 - 0 TD / 2 INT |
Frerotte injured his lower back late in the first half and did not return to the game. Prior to the injury, he was playing terribly. He had turned the ball over with two costly interceptions and had led the Vikings to just three first half points. He had very little pocket presence and failed to stand tall when there was pressure on him. The first interception was just a bad read by him, as he failed to see Ryan Nece step into the passing lane in front of Bernard Berrian. The second interception was a case of a pass being batted at the line and picked off. It was during a tackle attempt on that play that Frerotte hurt his back. He was being checked out and stretched on the sidelines and his return was deemed questionable, but he didn't make another appearance the rest of the way. It's also worth noting that Tarvaris Jackson played very well in his place the rest of the way, throwing for 100 yards and a touchdown on ten pass attempts without a turnover.
| RB Adrian Peterson, Rush: 23 - 102 - 0, Rec: 1 - 15 - 0 (1 targets) |
Peterson had a very odd game. Despite facing one of the league's worst rushing defense coming in, he was bottled up for most of the first half -- that is, when he even got the ball. He simply wasn't given many opportunities by the coaching staff to make plays before halftime. In the second half, with Tarvaris Jackson filling in at quarterback for Gus Frerotte, more holes opened up for Peterson. He took advantage by breaking several nice runs, though he failed to get into the end zone. He had a nice 21 yard run early in the third quarter that took Minnesota to the Detroit 17 yard line. He left the game, seemingly to get a one play breather, but Chester Taylor ensured that it would be longer than one play by taking the ensuing handoff 17 yards off the right tackle for an easy score. Peterson never came close to scoring the rest of the way to finish with a fairly disappointing 102 yards. On a more positive note, the 100 yard effort was his eighth of 2008, tying Robert Smith's team record for a single season.
What made the game even more odd was Peterson's trouble holding onto the football. He fumbled his second carry of the game, but it bounced out of bounds. Later, he lost a fumble on a run up the middle but it was challenged by the Vikings and eventually ruled that he was down by contact. He fumbled a third carry out of bounds and finally, lost the handle on a handoff from Jackson in the fourth quarter. While his stat line will show that he didn't lose any fumbles, he certainly had issues hanging onto the football in this one.
| RB Chester Taylor, Rush: 6 - 27 - 1, Rec: 2 - 26 - 0 (2 targets) |
Taylor played a pivotal role in this game for Minnesota, scoring the team's first touchdown of the afternoon from 17 yards out. Granted, the key to the run was the terrific downfield blocking on the play but he still did a nice job of reading the blocks and finding the end zone. Taylor also showed great open field moves on a 12 yard reception to open the fourth quarter, a play that could have easily gone for a two or three yard gain. Finally, Taylor came up with a huge 14 yard screen pass reception with Minnesota facing a second and 13 situation late in the fourth quarter. That conversion enabled them to run an additional 1:33 off the clock and essentially end the game.
| WR Bernard Berrian, Rec: 3 - 29 - 0 (6 targets) |
Berrian saw a fairly healthy amount of targets, but was never able to get enough separation to do much with those targets.
| WR Bobby Wade, Rec: 2 - 19 - 0 (4 targets) |
Wade caught just two passes, both of them fairly short looks. But the second reception came on a critical third down and four as Minnesota was trying to run time off the clock. Wade showed exceptional hands in reaching out in front of him to haul in a very tough catch and extend the drive. Had he not made the play, the Lions would have gotten the ball back with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter, down by just one. As it stands, Detroit didn't get the ball back until 27 seconds remained in the contest following a tack-on field goal by the Vikings.
| WR Sidney Rice, Rec: 2 - 21 - 0 (2 targets) |
Rice caught just two balls in the game, one on the team's opening drive and the second one about 45 minutes later early in the fourth quarter. The latter reception was on third down and kept a drive going that eventually led to a Visanthe Shiancoe touchdown.
| TE Visanthe Shiancoe, Rec: 5 - 65 - 1 (5 targets) |
Shiancoe had several nice receptions down the seam, which was really where Detroit was at its softest defensively. In addition to leading the team in receptions and receiving yardage, Shiancoe also caught the only passing touchdown of the game for Minnesota. On the play, he gave a great block fake before quickly getting to his feet out into the flat. QB Tarvaris Jackson rolled out off a play-action fake and easily found the big tight end for the score, which turned out to be the eventual game-winner.
| PK Ryan Longwell 2 - 2 FG, 2 - 2 XP, 8 points |
Longwell connected on kicks of 35 and 50 yards, both of which were made with ease. The fifty yarder was a huge kick with just 27 seconds left in the game. It extended Minnesota's lead from one to four, meaning Detroit needed a touchdown to win.
| MIN Rush Defense |
Allowing 76 yards on 27 carries (2.8 YPC), Minnesota held Detroit in check for most of the game. Interestingly, the fact that Detroit was able to get to 27 carries says more about how bad the Minnesota offense was than anything about the defense. Typically, teams are able to move the ball on Detroit so well and put up so many points that the Lions either A) Abandon the run game early, or B) Don't have the ball long enough to have that many carries in a game. So considering the state of the game and the back-and-forth nature of it, the Vikings were solid.
| MIN Pass Defense |
Minnesota pulled off the difficult (and not very successful) combination of getting good pressure on Daunte Culpepper while at the same time allowing him to buy extra time repeatedly with his feet. This will sound odd, but even though Culpepper was sacked three times in the game (Drew Henson was sacked a fourth time on the final play of the game) and lost two fumbles, he was able to elude would be tacklers and find someone downfield on more than a few occasions. He completed passes to eight different players, so he wasn't locking in on any one guy. That's a good thing, because the Vikings were making a conscious effort early on to make sure Calvin Johnson didn't beat them. On one particular overhead replay, no fewer than four Minnesota defenders converged around Johnson while leaving several other receiving options wide open. So Culpepper simply took what the Vikings were giving him.
Still, despite all the attention being focused on Johnson, it wasn't enough to prevent him from turning in the game's biggest play. Late in the third quarter, Johnson ran right by CB Cedric Griffin on a deep route. S Darren Sharper was late getting over to help over the top, and Johnson flew right by him too en route to a 70 yard touchdown reception.
The Vikings did come up big on the last possession of the game, however. With Detroit needing a Hail Mary bomb just to have a shot at winning, Viking defenders converged around Culpepper and sacked him with two seconds left in the game. With just one more shot, Drew Henson came in to attempt a Hail Mary but he, too, was sacked -- this time, to end the game for good.
DE Jared Allen had the other two sacks in the game (as well as a forced fumble) for Minnesota, both coming in the second half after what looked like an ugly knee injury late in the first half. He was on the ground briefly after being cut down by Detroit OL Gosder Cherilus. Allen tried going after Cherilus, but was restrained by teammates. After being checked out on the sideline, he returned in the second half and looked even better than he did pre-injury.
S Madieu Williams appeared to slightly tweak his right hamstring very early on while making a tackle on Kevin Smith, but he remained in the game.
| QB Daunte Culpepper, Pass: 14 - 24 - 220 - 1 TD / 0 INT, Rush: 3 - 7 - 0 |
From the outset, Culpepper looked determined to put on a good performance. He showed nice elusiveness early on in avoiding the oncoming pass rush, rolling out for a 28 yard completion to Keary Colbert. Later, he took off and displayed his still-impressive strength in running over DB Bennie Sapp on a third down scramble that resulted in a first down. His play was heady, his passes were accurate, and his ability to find the open man consistently was what kept his team in the game. He turned back the clock quite a few years on a 70 yard touchdown to Calvin Johnson. The toss by Culpepper was one of the most well thrown balls any quarterback has thrown all season long, hitting Johnson perfectly in stride down the sideline.
Unfortunately, it wasn't all good for Culpepper. The Detroit offensive line left him vulnerable far too often, at one point completely missing a block on DE Jared Allen, who shot through the line for the easiest sack he's ever gotten. Culpepper had two early opportunities to convert fourth downs, but on one he was hit as he threw and on the other he tried to sneak up the middle but ran right into the heart of Minnesota's defensive line. The last key situation he was involved with was on a third down pass play to Calvin Johnson. Johnson appeared to make a diving catch on a third and long pass, a reception that would've given the Lions a first down at the Minnesota eight yard line. Replays showed no conclusive angle of the ball being dropped, but after officials reviewed the play it was determined that the ball definitely hit the ground. Unless they had a different set of replays than the ones shown on television, there is no way anyone can say without question that the ball hit the ground. It was an unfortunate call in a season full of unfortunate events for Detroit.
Culpepper had probably his best game in a Detroit uniform, coming very close to leading the Lions to their first win of the season. Had it not been for a misinterpretation of the replay challenge rule, he may have done just that.
To make matters worse, the Lions got the ball back with one last shot at a desperation heave toward the end zone. Culpepper dropped back to pass, but was hit as he released the ball and appeared to injure his arm. He was replaced for the game's final play by Drew Henson.
| QB Drew Henson |
Henson came in for the game's final play. After Daunte Culpepper injured his arm attempting a Hail Mary pass, Henson attempted to do the same on the last play. Unfortunately, he too was sacked and the game ended without a long pass attempt even being made.
| RB Kevin Smith, Rush: 22 - 63 - 0, Rec: 2 - 27 - 0 (3 targets) |
Detroit's offensive line was opening holes for Kevin Smith early on, but the Vikings soon closed those holes up. Smith was running hard, but there was simply nowhere for him to go for most of the afternoon. In the fourth quarter, he had a bit more success (five carries for 21 yards) and added a few receptions to make it a respectable performance. But with Pat and Kevin Williams still in uniform for Minnesota and Jared Allen flying all over the field, it was difficult for Smith to establish any sort of a rhythm. Basically, he did what he could with the limited opportunities he was given.
On one of his passing targets, Culpepper threw a corner fade to him in the end zone. LB Chad Greenway, with his back to the football, made a great play by knocking the ball away blindly and preventing the score.
| RB Rudi Johnson, Rush: 1 - 2 - 0, Rec: 1 - -1 - 0 (1 targets) |
Johnson has been relegated to strictly backup status. He had just two offensive touches in the game, gaining a total of one yard from scrimmage.
| WR Calvin Johnson, Rec: 3 - 84 - 1 (7 targets) |
Johnson didn't catch his first pass of the game until just before the two minute warning in the first half, and he only caught three passes the entire game. But one of them happened to be a 70 yard touchdown bomb down the left sideline that gave him a fine fantasy performance. He ran a fly pattern right by CB Cedric Griffin and hauled in the deep ball from Daunte Culpepper right in stride. He maintained his footing and outraced both Griffin and S Darren Sharper the rest of the way to the end zone for the score.
He had earlier been targeted on a corner fade in the end zone, but got his feet tangled with CB Antoine Winfield and fell to the ground as the pass sailed over both players for an incompletion.
Later, Johnson caught what appeared to be a key third down reception with just under six minutes remaining. He dove to the ground and caught a 13 yard pass that gave Detroit a first and goal at the Vikings' eight yard line. The call on the field was challenged by Minnesota. Despite the fact that the call was a completed pass and there was no inconclusive evidence to suggest otherwise, the ruling was inexplicably overturned and ruled an incompletion. The Lions had to settle for a field goal, and never got close to scoring again.
| WR Keary Colbert, Rec: 2 - 32 - 0 (3 targets) |
Colbert hauled in a key 28 yard reception on third and nine during Detroit's opening drive, but wasn't the primary target on the play. Daunte Culpepper had eluded the pass rush and found Colbert on the run, which explains why he was only thrown to twice more the rest of the way.
| WR John Standeford, Rec: 1 - 5 - 0 (5 targets) |
Though he only caught one pass, Standeford was actually the second favorite target of Daunte Culpepper in this game. Ironically enough, Standeford's one chance to make a big play was actually a play on which he wasn't targeted. He had broken free down the sideline and was wide open, but Culpepper failed to see him, instead checking down for a short completion.
| TE Michael Gaines, Rec: 1 - 27 - 0 (2 targets) |
Gaines had one wide open long reception downfield late in the first half on a deep crossing route, but was looked to just once after that and the pass fell incomplete.
| PK Jason Hanson 3 - 3 FG, 1 - 1 XP, 10 points |
Hanson connected from 25, 23, and 39 yards out. He had a shot at a fourth field goal, but head coach Rod Marinelli opted to go for it on fourth down and one late in the first half. The Lions were stuffed on the play and came away empty. Of course, the flow of the game would've been completely different had they kicked that first half field goal, so there are no assurances that Hanson would have even attempted the 39 yarder late in the game.
Hanson also made a nice play in preventing Darius Reynaud from scoring a first quarter kick return touchdown.
| DET Rush Defense |
For the most part, the Lions held Adrian Peterson in check. Despite entering the game with the league's worst run defense and facing the league's top rusher to date, they only allowed Peterson to run for a modest 102 yards on 23 carries. They really bottled him up in the first half, though he did find a few more lanes and some bigger holes to run through after halftime. Still, they employed a 'bend but don't break' philosophy that prevented him from taking any to the end zone on them. The problem for the Lions is that they didn't account for Chester Taylor quite as well. Following a 22 yard run by Peterson early in the second half, Taylor came in and took his first handoff all the way for a 17 yard score.
One thing the Lions did do well was force fumbles, as they caused Adrian Peterson to put the ball on the ground three different times. Unfortunately for Detroit, two of them were right on the sidelines and fell out of bounds. And the third was challenged and eventually overturned to down by contact. Had any of those balls bounced differently in Detroit's favor, the outcome of this game could've been very different.
| DET Pass Defense |
In the first half, the Lions simply befuddled veteran QB Gus Frerotte. He threw two interceptions, one of which Ryan Nece slid over in coverage to make a nice play on and the other coming on a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage. Frerotte had open receivers at times due to Detroit making a concerted effort to stop the run, but it mattered little as Frerotte was rarely able to make plays. The Vikings came away from the first half with a total of just three points, and Detroit was very much in control. After Frerotte injured his back, backup QB Tarvaris Jackson took over the reins. Jackson really only made one bad decision the entire time he was in, and Minnesota relied on a combination of Jackson tossing short passes and Adrian Peterson finally breaking a few decent runs. This enabled them to put up 17 second half points on their way to the victory. The Lions got very little pressure on Jackson. The one time they did get to him, he was hit as he threw and sent a floater about 15 yards downfield. With four Detroit defenders in the area, it appeared to be a sure interception. But as has been the case for most of the season with the Lions, two of the defenders ran into one another and the ball was jarred loose, falling to the ground for an incompletion.
LB Paris Lenon appeared to reinjure his left shoulder while making a tackle on Chester Taylor late in the fourth quarter.
