If the Vikings weren’t going to be able to compete for a Super Bowl, they wanted to make sure neither were the Detroit Lions.

That mindset served as motivation for the Vikings on Thursday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium en route to a 23-10 win that officially eliminated the Lions from the playoffs.

Though the offense for the Vikings failed to move the ball for most of the game with rookie quarterback Max Brosmer under center, the defense put forth an otherworldly effort with veteran safety Harrison Smith leading the charge.

The win for the Vikings helps them vault into third place in the NFC North. The loss for the Lions might close their Super Bowl window once and for all.

Here are some takeaways from the game:

Brian Flores painted yet another masterpiece

In what might be the last game of consequence for the Vikings this season, defensive coordinator Brian Flores once again proved that he should be a top candidate for every team looking for a new head coach.

Never mind that the defense has been on a roll for a couple of months. This was its magnum opus as it made an explosive offense on the other end look completely out of sorts.

The constant pressure deployed by the Vikings rattled the Lions, especially veteran quarterback Jared Goff, who was a turnover machine for most of the game.

The implosion from Goff included him throwing two interceptions and coughing up three fumbles in total. There was also a pretty costly fumble from running back Jahmyr Gibbs early in the game.

In total, the Vikings forced six turnovers in the game, a major morale boost for a group of players that has rode the roller coaster at times this season. The identity of the defense has been forged by Flores and he deserves to be rewarded for it when the hiring cycle begins.

Harrison Smith continued to turn back the clock

It’s still unclear if Smith intends to retire at the end of this season. He has typically kept his cards close to the vest on that front so there more than likely won’t be a big announcement regardless of what he decides.

If his vintage performance for the Vikings against the Lions was indication, however, Smith should maybe consider delaying retirement a little bit longer. He was the best player on the field for prolonged stretches throughout the game, finishing with one sack, two tackles for a loss, one interception, and three passes defended.

That impressive stat line for Smith was the continuation of a positive trend. He’s looked like a much younger version of himself as of late, flying around with reckless abandon like he used to in his prime.

The fact that Smith is still able to make an impact has to make him start thinking about his future and if he’s ready to give up the game he truly loves so much.

Max Brosmer isn’t ready to be the backup

There was hope that Brosmer would be able to bounce back from a miserable NFL debut. He struggled mightily last month as the Vikings got shutout by the Seattle Seahawks. He responded by simply putting his head down and going back to work.

That set the stage for Brosmer to redeem himself with the Vikings hosting the Lions. Instead, he completed 9 of 16 passes for a mere 51 yards, while taking 48 yards worth of sacks in the game.

The disastrous showing from Brosmer proved he’s not yet ready to be the backup for the Vikings. It’s too much to ask of him so early in his career. He’s still very much a project that needs to work on his craft behind the scenes without the risk of having to play in a game.

Justin Jefferson is closing in on 1,000 yards

The inability to move the ball through the air this season has cost star receiver Justin Jefferson. He’s on pace for the least productive campaign of his career because the Vikings don’t have anybody capable of throwing him the ball with consistency.

That said, Jefferson is still in position to eclipse 1,000 yards, a milestone that means a lot to him because he’s never missed out on it. He had 30 yards for the Vikings in the win over the Lions. He needs 53 yards next week when the Vikings host the Green Bay Packers to reach quadruple digits.

The fate of Jefferson maintaining his streak of reaching 1,000 yards could hinge on whether young quarterback J.J. McCarthy can return from a hairline fracture in his right hand.

Will Reichard should be going to the Pro Bowl

After missing out on being selected to the Pro Bowl, kicker Will Reichard seemed like he was out to prove the voters got it wrong. He nailed field goals from 52 yards away and 56 yards away to help lead the Vikings past the Lions.

The ease with which Reichard can connect on long field goals is a weapon the Vikings definitely don’t take for granted. He’s now 30 of 32 on field goal attempts this season and a perfect 30 of 30 on extra point attempts.

There might not be a better kicker in the NFL at this point. That’s how good Reichard has proven to be for the Vikings.

Related Articles

The Loop NFL Picks: Week 17

Frederick: Shame on the Vikings for wasting this dominant defense

Harrison Smith leads dominant defensive display as Vikings upset Lions

The Loop Fantasy Football Update Week 17: Last-minute moves

Vikings picks: A second chance for Max Brosmer

Today is Friday, Dec. 26, the 360th day of 2025. There are five days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Dec. 26, 1908, Jack Johnson became the first Black boxer to win the world heavyweight championship as he defeated Canadian Tommy Burns in Sydney, Australia.

Also on this date:

In 1941, during World War II, Winston Churchill became the first British prime minister to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, just two weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that plunged the U.S. into the war.

Related Articles

Americans facing a tough job market in 2025 won’t get a break next year

Today in History: December 25, Northwest Airlines passengers foil underwear bomber

Grand jury declines to indict man in shooting that killed teen at Kentucky State University

Call 911 or risk losing the baby? Raids force some immigrants to avoid care

Kennedy Center Christmas Eve jazz concert canceled after Trump name added to building

In 1966, Kwanzaa was first celebrated, a seven-day holiday to help African Americans reconnect with their African heritage.

In 1990, Nancy Cruzan, a young woman in an irreversible vegetative state whose case led to a U.S. Supreme Court decision on the right to die, died at a Missouri hospital.

In 1991, the USSR was formally dissolved through a declaration by the Supreme Soviet.

In 2004, a 9.1-magnitude earthquake beneath the Indian Ocean off the Indonesian island of Sumatra triggered a tsunami with waves up to 100 feet high that killed about 230,000 people across a dozen countries as far as East Africa. The worst-affected countries were Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and Thailand.

In 2006, former President Gerald R. Ford died in Rancho Mirage, California, at age 93.

In 2021, South African Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu died at 90; the retired archbishop had been an uncompromising foe of apartheid and a modern-day activist for racial justice and LGBTQ rights.

Today’s Birthdays:

“America’s Most Wanted” host John Walsh is 80.
Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk is 78.
Baseball Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith is 71.
Humorist David Sedaris is 69.
Rock musician Lars Ulrich (Metallica) is 62.
Actor-musician Jared Leto is 54.
Rock singer Chris Daughtry is 46.
Actor Beth Behrs is 40.
Actor Kit Harington is 39.

By ARNIE STAPLETON

DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic recorded a 56-point triple-double and set an NBA record with 18 points in overtime, leading the Denver Nuggets to a 142-138 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night.

Jokic broke Stephen Curry’s record of 17 overtime points from 2016, making it the highest by any player in regular season or NBA playoffs.

Jokic added 16 rebounds and 15 assists and Jamal Murray scored 35 points as the Nuggets improved to 3-0 this season against the Wolves, who got 44 points from Anthony Edwards, only to see him get ejected in the extra period for arguing foul calls.

The Nuggets won despite being down three starters, including Cameron Johnson, who injured his right knee at Dallas on Tuesday night.

Edwards made good on his prediction for a big Christmas night performance, leading Minnesota back from a 15-point deficit in the final 5 1/2 minutes of regulation and hitting a twisting 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 126-all.

Edwards added seven quick points as the Wolves opened the extra period on a 9-0 run, but as the Nuggets fought back, Edwards picked up two technical fouls and was ejected.

In the leadup to the game, Edwards told ESPN: “I’m gonna have 30 points for sure. I might have 40. But it’s gonna be a night.”

Was it ever.

For Jokic.

In the extra period, Jokic was 3 for 3 from the floor, including 2 for 2 from long range to go with a 10-for-11 performance at the foul line.

After blowing a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter, the Nuggets fell behind 124-115, but went on an 11-2 run to tie it at 126-all

The Nuggets are down three starters after Johnson hyperextended his right knee Tuesday night in Dallas. Johnson joined Aaron Gordon (hamstring) and Christian Braun (ankle) on the sideline for Denver.

With Johnson out, Tim Hardaway Jr. got the start and scored 19 points.

By the third quarter, Joker had his 179th career triple double, two shy of Oscar Roberton for second place in NBA history.

Up next

Timberwolves: Host the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday.

Nuggets: At Orlando on Saturday.

___

AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA

There was a point in the fourth quarter Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium that Minnesota’s offense – including penalties to the good and bad – had moved the ball a grand total of 70 yards over the course of the contest.

Yet the Vikings led 13-10 at that juncture.

That shouldn’t be possible, but it was reality due to a dominant Vikings defense that flustered one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses all afternoon.

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner (15) celebrates his tackle of Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs (0) for a loss in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025. The Minnesota Vikings beat the Detroit Lions, 23-10. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Detroit entered the Christmas matinee averaging the third most yards per game in the league (378.7). It closed Thursday’s 23-10 loss to Minnesota with 231 yards. The Lions averaged 3.6 yards per play while committing six turnovers.

The Vikings, on the other end, could do nothing with the ball. The Max Brosmer-led offense compiled 161 yards, more than half of which came over the final two drives of the game, highlighted by a 65-yard Jordan Addison touchdown on an end-around to push the advantage to 20-10.

Beyond that play, Minnesota’s offense effectively just stood in place for four quarters. And that was enough to win the game.

“Seemed like it was going to be a game where we were going to win with special teams and defense, protect the football,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said.

Which only makes you wonder if that could have been the case all season.

It’s a travesty this defense won’t participate in the postseason. It’s a championship-caliber unit, one that was torpedoed by the two other phases of the game on a week-to-week basis.

Minnesota entered Week 17 ranking fifth in total yards allowed per game (296.8), including fewer than 170 through the air.

The only reason the Vikings are allowing north of 20 points per game is because the team leads the NFL in turnovers with 29, three more than the next-highest team entering the week.

The offense didn’t even threaten to move the ball Thursday, but it also didn’t give the ball away. So, in totality, that performance was somehow a massive improvement on what it delivered throughout the fall as it consistently set up the defense to fail.

The blowout loss to the Los Angeles Chargers was a total system failure for Minnesota. As for the rest of the defeats, well, let’s run through them:

Atlanta, Week 2

Minnesota trailed 6-3 before an interception gifted the Falcons a 9-3 lead. Then, trailing 12-6, Minnesota lost a fumble that resulted in another Falcons field goal to extend the deficit to two scores.

Pittsburgh, Week 4

Trailing by eight with five minutes to play in the third quarter, rather than playing conservatively and pinning the Steelers deep in their own territory, Minnesota threw the ball. It resulted in an interception. Pittsburgh drove just 35 yards for a touchdown to go up 21-6.

Philadelphia, Week 7

Trailing 7-3 early in the second quarter, Minnesota threw a pick-six on third down to extend the deficit to 14-3.

Baltimore, Week 10

Thirteen of the Ravens’ 27 points came off turnovers. Minnesota led 10-9 to open the second half that opened: Vikings interception, Baltimore field goal, Vikings fumbled kickoff return, Baltimore 23-yard touchdown “drive.”

Chicago, Week 11

Trailing 7-3 in the second quarter, a Vikings interception led to a Bears field goal that didn’t require a first down from the Chicago offense. Then, when Minnesota claimed the lead late, a massive kickoff return set up the Bears’ game-winning field goal that, again, didn’t require moving the chains a single time.

Green Bay, Week 12

Minnesota trailed 10-6 at the half. After the defense forced a stop, the Vikings muffed a punt that Green Bay recovered at the Vikings’ 5-yard line. The Packers scored a touchdown two plays later. Green Bay extended its lead to three scores later in the half on a 19-yard “drive” after a punt return set up the Packers’ offense at Minnesota’s 40 yard line.

Seattle, Week 13

Trailing 3-0 to what’s now the top seed in the NFC, Minnesota’s defense produced a strip sack to give its offense the ball at the Seahawks’ 13 yard line. But the Vikings went for it on fourth down on the ensuing drive and threw a pick six. Ten additional Seattle points came off turnovers that day, not including another Seattle field goal that required only 17 yards of offensive movement thanks to elite field position.

It all begs the question: What would Minnesota’s record have been this season had it handed the ball off every down, let every punt bounce and neglected to return a single kickoff?

OK, obviously that’s too far. But if the best teams play complementary football, what the Vikings’ offense and special teams produced through most of this season was, umm, combative?

Teams with elite kickers, punters and – most importantly – defenses should play into mid-January, and beyond. Minnesota checked all those boxes in 2025, yet was officially eliminated weeks ago. The Vikings were persistently too aggressive and careless, and it cost them week after week.

The Pioneer Press column after that Week 2 loss against Atlanta was titled: “Vikings offense needs to get out of the way.”

Had it done just that, and nothing else, the Vikings would be playoff bound.

For proof, look no further than Thursday’s victory – a resounding reminder of what could’ve, nay should’ve, been.

Related Articles

Harrison Smith leads dominant defensive display as Vikings upset Lions

The Loop Fantasy Football Update Week 17: Last-minute moves

Vikings picks: A second chance for Max Brosmer

Vikings vs. Lions: What to know ahead of Week 17 matchup

Mizutani: This is a crossroads for Max Brosmer and the Vikings