Lions at Vikings: Highlights, score and recap

In a classic NFC North matchup, the Detroit Lions hit the road on Sunday, heading to Minnesota to take on the Vikings in Week 4 NFL action.

The Minnesota Vikings played host to the Detroit Lions on Sunday, and they lost much more than just the game. Sure, the Lions came away with a huge NFC North victory at U.S. Bank Stadium, but the Vikings lost running back Dalvin Cook for what looks to be the season. Cook injured his knee on a non-contact play and by the looks of it, it appears to be an ACL injury.

This game was a defensive battle throughout, as no team hit the end zone until Cook scored with a little over a minute left in the first half. The Vikings went into the locker room up 7-3, and their defense appeared to have the answer for Matthew Stafford and company. Detroit finally scored a touchdown in the third quarter, as Ameer Abdullah scored from three yards out. A two-point conversion gave them a 14-7 lead.

That would be the final score, as the Lions were able to scoop up a fumble on the Vikings’ last-chance drive, after Minnesota got the ball after the two-minute warning. Detroit moved to 3-1 on the season with the win, and appear to have the talent on both sides of the ball to make another run to the playoffs. The Vikings will now have to deal with the loss of Cook, after losing quarterback Sam Bradford to a knee injury a few weeks ago.

Highlights

Three Stars

1. Detroit Defense

The Lions had a solid gameplan for the Vikings on Sunday, as they continously harassed Minnesota quarterback Case Keenum. They were able to stop the run once Cook went out to injury, and held firm when the Vikings did get in plus-territory. The defense sealed the victory when they scopped up Adam Thielen’s fumble in the Vikings final drive.

2. Ameer Abdullah, Detroit Lions

Abdullah ran the ball hard throughout the game, and nearly finished the game with 100 yards rushing. He was nicked up late in the contest, and while healthy enough to return, he did not come back to get to the century mark. If he runs the way he did on Sunday the rest of the season, the Lions will be in good shape.

3. Danielle Hunter, Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings defense came to play as well on Sunday, holding the high-octane Detroit offense to only one touchdown. Danielle Hunter led a sack attack that got to Stafford five times, as he racked up two of his own. The offense sputtered after Cook’s injury, but the defense did all they could to keep them in the game.

Betting Odds

This game had no spread or line for most of the week, until it was announced that Sam Bradford would not be under center for the Vikings. Eventually, the line was set with Detroit being a one-point underdog, and they definitely covered in this one . The over/under was set at 43.0, which proved to be way more than was needed in this matchup. Remember to head over to Sportsbook Review for the latest in betting odds throughout the season.

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Next Week

The Minnesota Vikings will be in prime time in Week 5, as they head to Chicago to take on the Bears in a Monday Night Football matchup. Detroit will return to the Motor City for an NFC battle against the Carolina Panthers inside Ford Field.