Detroit
Lions
4-9
14
FINAL
63
Minnesota
Vikings
10-3
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a commanding display, the Minnesota Vikings topped the Detroit Lions 63-14 in Week 15 of the 2026 season, solidifying their position in the playoff race. With this victory, the Vikings showcased their offensive prowess and sent a clear message to their rivals about their championship aspirations.
Quarterback J.J. McCarthy was the star of the show, throwing for an impressive 339 yards and tying a franchise record with seven touchdown passes. He connected frequently with star receiver Justin Jefferson, who amassed 164 receiving yards, making it nearly impossible for the Lions' defense to contain their explosive plays. Demond Claiborne also contributed on the ground, adding 88 rushing yards to keep the Lions’ defense on their heels.
Defensively, the Vikings were relentless, with James Pierre leading the charge with six total tackles, while Josh Metellus added an interception to halt any momentum from the Lions. The turning point came early in the second quarter when Metellus's pick set up McCarthy for another touchdown pass, extending the lead to 28-0 and effectively sealing the game. The Vikings' ability to capitalize on turnovers and maintain pressure throughout the contest was key to their dominant performance.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 20 | 14 | 70% | 339 | 7 | 0 | 152.0 |
| Jared Goff | QB | 39 | 16 | 41% | 249 | 2 | 0 | 79.9 |
| Sam Howell | QB | 4 | 3 | 75% | 39 | 0 | 1 | 65.6 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 2 | 1 | 50% | 4 | 0 | 0 | 56.2 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 0 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 9 | 88 | 9.8 | 16 | 1 | 50 | 0 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 7 | 24 | 3.4 | 13 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Jared Goff | QB | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| J.J. McCarthy | QB | 1 | -1 | -1.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 5 | 164 | 32.8 | 70 | 3 | 43 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 3 | 92 | 30.7 | 70 | 2 | 55 | 0 |
| Jameson Williams | WR | 4 | 70 | 17.5 | 14 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Sam LaPorta | TE | 3 | 60 | 20.0 | 33 | 0 | 21 | 0 |
| Jahmyr Gibbs | HB | 5 | 53 | 10.6 | 20 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| Tyreek Hill | WR | 2 | 50 | 25.0 | 8 | 1 | 25 | 0 |
| Kendrick Law | WR | 2 | 46 | 23.0 | — | 1 | 33 | 0 |
| Amon-Ra St. Brown | WR | 4 | 41 | 10.3 | 17 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Isaac TeSlaa | WR | 1 | 18 | 18.0 | 14 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 1 | 17 | 17.0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 3 | 16 | 5.3 | 10 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| Isiah Pacheco | HB | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Metellus | SS | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| James Pierre | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Kerby Joseph | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Isaiah Rodgers Sr | CB | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Jakobe Thomas | SS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Damone Clark | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Harrison Smith | FS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Roger McCreary | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jamal Adams | WILL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andrew Van Ginkel | REDG | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ennis Rakestraw Jr | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Campbell | MIKE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D.J. Reed | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Keith Abney II | CB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tony Jefferson | SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Avonte Maddox | FS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jalen Redmond | DT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Brian Branch | SS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Bates | K | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |

