Vikings dominate Lions despite woeful passing game - ESPN

MINNEAPOLIS — Modern NFL teams almost never win the way the Minnesota Vikings did Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Vikings became the third team in the past 40 seasons to finish with fewer than 10 net passing yards in a victory, riding a stellar performance from their defense and place-kicker Will Reichard in a 23-10 decision over the Detroit Lions.

With rookie quarterback Max Brosmer making his second career start and three starting offensive linemen sidelined by injury, the Vikings managed just 3 net passing yards. Their total stood at minus-7 net passing yards until Brosmer and wide receiver Justin Jefferson connected for 10 yards on the Vikings' final throw of the night.

«It wasn't our standard in the pass game,» Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell said. «But sometimes, it depends on how your team plays collectively as a group. I've learned a lot as a head coach of [doing] whatever it takes to win each and every opportunity that you get.»

The only other teams that have won games with fewer than 10 net passing yards are the 1987 St. Louis Cardinals (4 yards) and the 2006 Houston Texans (minus-5 yards). It's even rarer for a team to win by a double-digit margin in that scenario. The Vikings' total on Christmas Day was the second-fewest passing yards for a team that won by 10 or more points since the 1970 merger.

The Lions have not been one of the NFL's better pass defenses this season, entering the game ranked No. 18 in defensive pass EPA (expected points added) per play. But they largely flummoxed Brosmer, who was starting in place of the injured J.J. McCarthy, sacking him six times and hitting him on five other occasions.

Brosmer threw four interceptions in his first NFL start, a 26-0 loss at the Seattle Seahawks in