Detroit Lions close out the regular season with win No. 12 | 2023 Week 18 Game Highlights

Watch the highlights from the Detroit Lions 30-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings in the regular-season finale at Ford Field.

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Regular season comes to a close for the game with playoff implications it is the Lions and the Vikings from Ford Field Lions won the toss they like to receive regular season coming to a close with this division matchup from Detroit and off we go from Ford Field Greg

Joseph to Craig Reynolds for the Touchback and here comes his Lions offense and good punt as it often is from Fox Powell watches it bounce inside the 10 Lions opponents have the worst average starting field position of any opponent in the NFL and fox has a huge part of

That on third and four Mullen hit as he throws and it’s incomplete behind Osborne the pocket collapsed in a hurry several Lions surrounding him Josh Pascal got their first yeah and when you can get pressure from the inside that that’s the most important part you see Aiden Hutchinson coming up the field you

Can see Nick Mullen start to step up but he’s walking right into Josh [Applause] Pascal good spiraling punt back to the five goes kie Freeman kie Freeman with room collie fremond with speed Raymond with a blocker ahead stumbles to the 45 side and takes it all the way back near Midfield right makes

The play hey you hear that evasion there darl for the pun return no it’s not Brad Rogers just announced 70 reported as eligible Dan Skipper reported as eligible and he meant to this time from the 48 yd line field position flip with that return Goff looking up

Top lets it rip alond Ross St Brown is loose and down the sideline alond Ross St Brown is 100 13th catch of the Year second in the NFL and it goes for 36 just watch him at the top of this it’s really good finding that soft spot so

You’ve got underneath coverage and deep coverage and you just kind of throttle it down and you create that nice little window in between cornerback and safety Vikings are saying not him again 12 catches on Christmas Eve in Minneapolis for this guy but it isn’t excellent for

A lot of the year as Skipper comes back in he gives the eligible signal but this three-game losing streak for Minnesota the defense has given up 30 points per game now the injuries have been a problem they weren’t going to use that as an excuse they faced some good

Offenses but bottom line with the way the offense has been up and down because of the quarterbacks they’ve been leaning on this deep F to Montgomery wide open Le pora easy touchdown for the [Applause] Lions I don’t know if this was intentional because a lot of times you

Will do this but watch Sam leap Porter right here he actually goes to the ground that really sells it to Josh matelis well there’s no way they’re throwing it to 87 10 touchdown of the season for the rookie 82nd catch of the year more catches than any rookie tight end in NFL

History here’s pressure and a sack Jack Campbell on the blitz gets there to Mullins and here we go again right Kevin oconnell talked about maybe not as good in pass protection as we want it to be and it’s just a straight Blitz and they get David quesenberry in that situation where you’ve got two and you’ve got to determine I don’t know if Alexander

Madison went the wrong way I just don’t know how you don’t see Jack Campbell coming and whether it’s Alexander Madison as the running back or David quesenberry happened to funnel where’s the most dangerous man and soft play that but you cannot let a blitz get right to your quarterback that’s third

And 17 yeah trying to stay out of the obvious passing situations you’re exactly right Joe third and 17 I mean screen pass you already proven that you’re struggling with protection on that first play in this drive well protected this time but just a checkdown and Alexander Madison needs

17 he won’t get close to it brought down by the Pro Bowl special teams player Jaylen Reeves Maven Blitz coming sidelines Brown third catch tiptoes the sideline and has enough for Detroit first down and and this is just kind of coming in this this is not a great job by the blitzers right

You’re going to get in behind each other and guess what jir Gibbs can get both of you he’s going to clog you both up so it’s not just when you’re bringing pressure it’s what do you do as you bring that pressure those guys got to be away from each other so you challenge

Jir Gibbs to pick the most dangerous they kind of never know what you’re going to get from this Minnesota defense Brian Flores first year as the coordinator first down and 10 Reynolds in the back field swings out gof whips it the otherway it’s lorta stopped by Andrew Booth getting his first start

Today first in the NFL on fourth down this year fake The Sweep run it straight ahead Gibb slips his way close to a first down Ivan Pace grabbed him in the back field but he finished forward he’s got enough and this is something that you see from jir Gibbs and it’s the patience

I mean he’s very Dynamic he is very explosive watch the patience and the cut right there it’s not a bad job defensively by Minnesota I mean they play it well you can see Ivan Pace there they had Josh matelis coming down the other side now they are going to measure here

A little closer than it looked when he [Applause] finished crowd not happy with the spot see what the change have to say oo it is just enough right got to get out the credit card see if he can fit it between the ball and the stick I don’t know

They’re stretching it that’s short Don first down wow oh my goodness first down at the Minnesota 44 fake the Gibbs golf loads up lets it rip man open perfect throw klie fremond spot him out of bounds inside the five that play was a thing of beauty Goff to Raymond for

41 and I love watch Josh Reynolds get up the seam he’s the one that pulls Andrew Booth to the middle just that little stutter it takes your eyes off of KH Raymond it allows you the opportunity to separate from Josh M Tellis and then a really well thrown football by Jared

Gof Ki Freeman who has come out of nowhere here in Detroit in his few years to establish himself the key guy as a receiver here here’s a toss here’s Gibbs here’s the corner and a [Applause] touchdown the second rookie to get his 10th touchdown today leaport and now Gibbs

I I tell you these these plays are being blocked so well I mean there’s really nobody there I mean just watch these guys out here and then you’ve got James Mitchell coming in motion to pick up Josh Matt Tellis Cameron bham is fighting to get off Sam leap Porter or

That’s an absolute walk-in untouched play action Pascal is right there this is the guy in Josh Pascal who was his second round draft pick last year his career so far stun Ed by injuries but Aaron Glenn points to him as one of their key guys trying to give

Him somebody other than Hutchinson to pressure the quarterback did the Lions earlier this year and that was the player that everybody was talking about he was going to get his opportunity to really probably get some extended playing time that time and Aaron Glenn raved about him and his development and

Where he was trending they’re talking about perhaps a grounding penalty here intentional grounding offense number 12 Ball’s placed at the spot of the foul loss of down it’s third down and they have added it he’s still in the pocket no receiver in the area loss of down

Third and a mile yeah you can see right here because of the pressure that Josh Pascal gets right away there’s just really nobody there you know you’re trying to avoid that negative play he’s pressured hit as he throws alen mcneel making his comeback today they signal just now

Incomplete and it’s second second and 10 mcneel was playing a pro bowl caliber season before he injured his knee last month back in the lineup today now right in the center number 54 just kind of driving collaps in that pocket right into Nick Mullins and Aiden huderson is lobbying for

Another he’s he’s lobbying for that other penalty with no receiver in the area but they had Tai Chandler over that way for the screen game second and goal end around in the hands to Jefferson he looks to throw it and he gets thrown down by Aiden [Applause] Hutchinson Johnny mt’s got a decision to make and it’s all about Aiden Hutchinson if that’s the guy that’s up the field you have to stay with him don’t bypass him you’ve got to stay in lock on and Trust Justin Jefferson to make the next guy Miss who’s going to be unblock he’s

Got a much better chance of making that Defender Miss than getting away from Aiden Hutchinson right there so just some mistakes on this drive once they got down into scoring territory by Minnesota that’s put him in a tough field position just I’m not over it yet underneath

Leaport and he’s got a first down stopped by Hicks Fox’s second punt is a beauty Powell watches it bounce inside the 10 you cannot walk it down there any better than that ball is now loose and lions down it inside the 10 they’re going to spot it

At the one Khalil dorsy down there Downing this perfect punt from Jack Fox who’s done it twice today play action Blitz is picked up but that’s not enough to get the job done because Aiden Hutchinson is there for the sack at the monster game in Dallas last week and the lions are hoping

That’s a sign of what’s to come well you bring pressure here and then you leave Aiden Hutchinson up against the tight end you know that’s that’s rolling the dice twice on the same play so you’ve got your Blitz and you’ve already had a Aiden Hutchinson matched up against the

Tight end with no help looking outside three every week Blitz coming here Mullen steps up for Jefferson an incomplete covered by cam Sutton their top cornerback in his first year in Detroit and it makes it third and 18 yeah great job scrambling watch just Jefferson 18 kind of the top of that

Stack watch right here you’re trying to get not really the back shoulder throw but just behind and that is a great job by cam Sutton Justin Jefferson is frustrated he has torn this building apart when they have played the Lions throughout his career and a set Hutchinson his fifth in the last two

Games and this is when it gets dangerous now he’s moving throughout the formation going inside going outside one side the other side coming from Over the guard working against Blake brandle on that one and beats him pretty quick Minnesota they’re third it’s a 30 second timeout his hands have gotten so much

Better that’s the one area that people talk about and it you see the athleticism of these Edge rushers and you would from 38 yd line fake to Chandler and then he throws it incomplete trying to kill the screen there Romeo gu wound up doing it and it’s just one of those situations

And when you watch the film with Nick Mullins it’s knowing when the play is over and just just take your medicine on that snap you try to get cute there you change your arm angle and you throw the ball it gets batted up in the air by

Romeo aora and you’ve almost got a devastating play don’t don’t do that just throw it into the ground near your guy don’t take the intentional grounding like he did in the first half but don’t create a huge negative play right there it’s Pow with another chance can

He get there doesn’t look like he quite got it on Fourth and three he runs a two- yd route and gets stopped short he’s a punt returner he’s got tremendous courage when he Fields punts but you see the little stumble right here after the catch and I get hey because he’s got

Those return skills let’s let’s get him the ball in space he’ll get the necessary arage look at the convergence by the Detroit players you can see the knee is down right there he’s short of the line to [Applause] gain so this opening drive for Minnesota the second half had some steam but runs

Out of it and it’s going to be a turnover on Downs for Kevin OK connell’s team unless our yellow lines just off big worms yellow lines never off it’s perfect and the Lions take over on Downs take over on Downs their first possession of the half coming here offense so Dynamic this season

Wasn’t quite the same in the first half Al St Brown though did his thing that’s his fifth catch yeah and he’s got 13 [Applause] yds it’s play action nobody open immediately G on the move and a strike for peop Jones what a throw and especially given the situation Donovan

Peoples Jones for 20 yards and a Detroit first down yeah this is great Poise by Jared gof you know there’s nothing there while he’s in the pocket he moves out to his right I thought maybe he was going to going to scramble for it but you

Could see him just hang in there with Donovan peoples Jones the whole time right as the sideline was starting to squeeze the play peoples Jones had three catches in his first seven games at the Lions but catches on back-to-back plays here getting add a chance today with Jameson Williams

Out takes it down to the 28 yd line play action on first down wide open is Dan Skipper and Dan Skipper’s got four yards anytime Dan skipper name gets brought up of course it brings a loud cheer Skipper and Decker and all those guys that were involved in the two-point penalty last

Week well that one was funny they actually brought him into the back field motioned him into the backfield and then put him in a little bit of a wing on the week side from a pressure standpoint in his base formations with the defense there goes Skipper in motion it’s

Montgomery it is the Lions touchdown career-high 13th of the year for [Applause] Montgomery there a great job it’s going to be Harrison Smith and David Montgomery meeting you know in the hole for the touchdown and that that’s one of your better safeties in the leag it just

Shows you that power of David Montgomery look at that pad level and then just grinding right there to break the plane bigas issue they’re 0 for seven on third they’re try to throw for it Mullins fed off his spot and sacked Levi own Z the fourth Detroit sack of the afternoon [Applause]

A lot of these are coverage sacks I mean you’re just not getting there in time 91 Levi owns arque working that side and then just keeps his eyes on Nick Mullen sees the escape and just closes space on him but there’s just nowhere for Nick

Mullins to go so credit the back end of the defense of the Lions for that sack dangerous Zone here for the vik two touchdowns Lions set to get good field position here tly Freeman putting together a great day returning got around the first man got around another look out here with a blocker

Ahead what a day for collie Freeman returning the ball Ivan Pace eventually gets him Lions set to get good field position here Tali Freeman putting together a great day returning got her on the first man got around another look out here with a blocker ahead what a day for

Collie Freeman returning the ball Ivan Pace eventually gets him Kevin oconnell said that Bengals game Tai chanler showed us he could be it in every down back this time he’s blown up by Josh pascos playing a good game today you can see why they were so excited about Josh Pascal early in the

Year watch big number 93 right here you got a little bit of a stunt going on he gets right across Christian Dara’s face he just can’t get to him great quickness there fake to jir Gibbs deep throw from gof down the sideline St Brown almond

Ross St Brown in a foot race Eyes On The End Zone cuts it back St Brown is all the way touchdown Detroit 70 yd explosion on the first play of the fourth quarter for almond ra St Brown I guess his ribs are all right what an aggressive play call by Ben Johnson on

That he’s been fantastic after the catch today all [Applause] afternoon seven catches 144 yds for St Brown and that is the longest touchdown catch of his career and you having a long playoff Run Golf side steps a Blitzer delivers a strike downfield Josh Reynolds First Catch of the Day for

Reynolds goes for 17 [Applause] yds this has been fun to watch this afternoon just a competition matelis coming in the blitz Gibbs picks him up G on the move through goes against the grain and has James Mitchell just the second catch of the season for the tight end and he goes for

24 yds it’s just kind of jir Gibbs growing as a running back one of the biggest things is pass protection watch Josh matelis hit this on the Run he’s got two steps and he’s taking on a guy coming full speed he stops him in his tracks now he doesn’t complete it and

Finish it but he gives his quarterback the opportunity to get outside and make a throw that is not easy when a Blitzer hits it perfect and you’re getting to take two steps and he’s coming at you full speed is the most important thing that is number one on the list and we

Saw that in Dallas last week with the two-point plays at the end of the game and we’re seeing it here today with his commitment with his starters being out there bad with an important field goal here makes it a two-score game on second and 10 Mullins broken up by

Branch po the intended receiver a tighter coverage on this on this series but you know not really the play the play calling that we saw in that that last one where they went right down the field where they were getting up the seams this has been more outside you

Know more of a controlled passing game Blitz Mullins hit as he throws and picked off by cam Sutton Sutton on the return crosses the 35 and the lions are 3 minutes away from the finishing touch on a franchise record 12- win regular [Applause] season just a great job on this defense

What happened last time it’s going to be a fat melaan coming from your right side he’s going to battle all the way through that and be the player that impacts the throw by Nick Mullins a timing middle of the- field throw that has been imp impacted by a

Blitzer has such a high probability of being intercepted third down and five for Mullins and the Vikings lofted right to the free safety and picked by Gardner Johnson and his first game since week two he’s got the picking on the FI there an interception by the defense first

Down and we talked about the previous interception not being on Nick Mullen this one is this is this is middle of the field you’re you’re trying to throw to a spot and yeah Jordan Addison is in the neighborhood but it just it comes off high and sails into the middle of the

Field so the first Lions team to win 12 games since the last Lions team to win a playoff game 1991 outside again Reynolds it’s interesting that there’re still running plays like he is going to pedal to the metal right to the Finish isn’t he I don’t think he does Victory formation

Until we’re getting into the playoffs I guess maybe that’s another part of the the characteristic of Dan Campbell they’re headed there they’ve matched the franchise record with 12 wins another box checked what is next for Dan Campbell and the Lions they head to the playoffs for the first time in seven

Years where they look for their first playoff win since 1991