Lions Win—and the Vikes Head to the Draft

Vikings Territory Breakdown

The last two NFC North champions—the Vikings in 2022 and the Detroit Lions in 2023—faced off at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday and only one team came out of it with another game to play this season. The Lions beat the Vikings 30-20 and moved on to the Wild Card round of the playoffs, while the Vikings, beset by injuries and mistakes all season, head to the NFL Draft. (And for some fans, that was the best news they could have heard after the game).

The Vikings came into the game with the slimmest of playoff chances (3 percent) and the loss ended any hope for the postseason. Instead, the Vikings will pick 11th in the upcoming draft and likely have their eyes on…