A day that started out looking like a huge day for Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikings quickly turned into a day of frustration for the rookie QB and his team.
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The Vikings went up 14-0 in the first half largely thanks to Bridgewater’s sterling accuracy and execution but a pair of interceptions late in the half got the Lions back into it.
Whether those interceptions changed Norv Turner’s approach or not is something we can’t say. The Vikings did seem to get more conservative in the second half and Bridgewater again showed spotty accuracy, overthrowing his receivers in several key moments.
The Vikings defense did a good job for much of the day keeping the Lions’ offense from getting on-track, but Detroit was able to put enough together in the second half to take the lead. Their defense was more than good enough to keep the Vikings out of the end zone.
The Vikes got no help whatsoever from their former Pro Bowl kicker Blair Walsh, who missed three field goals on the day, though the third was a 68-yard desperation bomb with time expiring that really doesn’t count.
Had Walsh been able to make a relatively easy one that he kicked low, allowing the Lions to block it, the game might have turned out differently for Minnesota.
The Vikings can again kick themselves for losing a close game that they could have won if only they’d been able to make one more play here and there. Bridgewater’s lack of accuracy in the second half was a problem. So was the Vikings’ lack of a consistent running game.
Matt Asiata did some good things catching the ball and gaining yards but he was not particularly effective running. Neither were Ben Tate or Joe Banyard.
The defense again had one or two chances to make a big play and take control but failed to do so. Detroit never hit any explosive plays but they were able to get the ball to Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate, and Joique Bell out of the backfield, enough to put up the field goals they needed to eek out the win.
The Vikings drop to 6-8 on the season and 0-5 against the division. They will get one more shot at that elusive first NFC North win of the year the final week of the season against the Bears.