The Associated Press
Dave Campbell
MINNEAPOLIS–Danielle Hunter had three-and-a-half of Minnesota’s franchise-record 10 sacks and a fourth-quarter fumble return for a touchdown, making for a miserable afternoon for Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions in a 24-9 victory by the Vikings yesterday afternoon.
Hunter, the fourth-year defensive end, also was credited with nine tackles and four quarterback hits as the Vikings (5-3-1) limited the Lions to 214 total yards.
After Dalvin Cook dropped a pitch from Kirk Cousins and A’Shawn Robinson recovered at the Detroit 28 with Minnesota leading 17-6, the Lions had a chance to catch up.
They converted a fake punt to keep the drive alive.
But two plays later, Stafford ran right on the short side of the field and tried a dangerous flip to Kerryon Johnson.
The ball fluttered to the turf and Hunter scooped it up on his way to the easy score.
The Lions had a streak of 25-consecutive games with at least 14 points stopped in humbling fashion.
Starting a stretch of three-straight NFC North games with a badly-needed win before their bye week, the Vikings beat the Lions (3-5) at home for the first time in three matchups at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Cook gave the Vikings a boost with 89 yards on 10 carries after missing five of the last six games with a hamstring injury.
Adam Thielen’s streak of 100-yard receiving games ended at eight in a row, leaving him in a tie for the record with Lions’ legend Calvin Johnson.
But he caught a touchdown pass for the sixth-straight game to help Kirk Cousins navigate the absence of fellow stand-out Stefon Diggs.
The opening kick-off was ominous for the Lions when Matt Prater slipped after his leg swing–an unintentional squib the Vikings returned to their 35.
With Diggs sidelined by a rib injury, practice squad promotion Chad Beebe caught back-to-back passes on the first drive of his NFL debut.
The second one netted 13 yards on fourth-and-two from the Detroit 37.
Latavius Murray finished the march with a one-yard touchdown run.
The Vikings have shown more vulnerability against the pass than last season when they led the NFL in total defence, but on third downs they’ve been just as dominant.
Sheldon Richardson and Tom Johnson split a sack of Stafford on third-and-goal early in the second quarter to force the first of three field goals by Prater.
After Cousins made his biggest mistake of the game, a high throw to Thielen near midfield that Darius Slay left his man to intercept, the Lions made it as far as the 12-yard line.
Hunter sacked Stafford on consecutive snaps–sharing the first one with Everson Griffen and using the second one to bring Prater out for another kick.
Then on the next play for the Vikings, with one burst through a big hole in the left side of the line, Cook made clear he’s healthy again with a 70-yard gain.
He lost his balance at the five after being tripped up by Glover Quin.
Thielen scored two snaps later with a slick corner-post move that left Nevin Lawson in his wake for a 14-6 lead.
The previous high sack total for Stafford in his career was seven, against the Vikings in 2015.
Minnesota had nine sacks in a game four times prior to this but the most recent was back in 1993.
Elsewhere in the NFL, New England beat Green Bay 31-17, Chicago routed Buffalo 41-9, Miami downed the N.Y. Jets 13-6, Atlanta dumped Washington 38-14, Kansas City pounded Cleveland 37-21, Carolina upended Tampa Bay 42-28, and Pittsburgh blanked Baltimore 23-0.
Houston shaded Denver 19-17, the L.A. Chargers beat Seattle 25-17, and New Orleans topped the L.A. Rams 45-35.
Dallas hosts Tennessee tonight.
