Detroit Lions 16, Minnesota Vikings 13

On Thanksgiving Day, the Minnesota Vikings had an opportunity to take over first place in the NFC North. They ended the day the same way their first meeting with the Detroit Lions ended.

Sam Bradford threw a backbreaking interception to Darius Slay with under a minute to play, and Matt Prater's 40-yard field goal gave the Detroit Lions a 16-13 victory over the Vikings.

The Lions got on the board first, courtesy of a 2-yard touchdown pass from Matthew Stafford to Anquan Boldin, a score that capped a 12-play, 75-yard drive. Minnesota answered with a 12-play, 75-yard drive of their own that was finished by a 5-yard touchdown run by Matt Asiata to tie things up at 7-7. Minnesota's drive featured two plays that looked like they would be Vikings turnovers (a strip/sack of Bradford and Those two drives took up all but 40 seconds of the first quarter of play.

Matt Prater put up the only points of the second quarter, as he connected on a 29-yard field goal to make the score 10-7 in favor of Detroit. Minnesota knotted things up in the third quarter, courtesy of a 30-yard field goal by Kai Forbath to make the score 10-10.

Minnesota took their first lead of the game early in the fourth quarter, as Forbath connected on a 27-yard attempt to make the score 13-10 in favor of the Vikings. The Lions answered with 1:48 remaining, as Prater connected from 48 yards out to make it 13-13.

Following the tying field goal, the Vikings had an opportunity to move downfield, but Sam Bradford picked the worst possible time to throw his third interception of the year, as his pass for Adam Thielen was intercepted by Darius Slay. Slay took the pick down to the Minnesota 20-yard line, and from there it was academic, as Prater hit his third field goal of the afternoon to give Detroit the win, a season sweep of the Vikings, and first place in the NFC North by a final score of 16-13.

Bradford had been playing a solid game up until the final interception, as he completed 31-of-37 passes for 224 yards and one interception. Kyle Rudolph had nine catches for 63 yards to lead the Vikings in receiving, while Jerick McKinnon "led" the Vikings in rushing with 31 yards on nine carries.

For the Lions, Matthew Stafford completed 23-of-40 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown. Golden Tate led the Lions receivers with 77 yards on five catches, while Theo Riddick led the Lions in rushing with 45 yards on nine carries.

The Vikings fall to 6-5 and host the Dallas Cowboys at U.S. Bank Stadium next Thursday night. The Lions move to 7-4 and will face the New Orleans Saints at the Superdome a week from Sunday.

The Minnesota Vikings fall at the last minute to the Detroit Lions. . .again. . .by a final score of 16-13 on Thanksgiving Day. Thanks to everyone that got their coverage of this week's game right here at The Daily Norseman.