The Lions defeated the Vikings 31:29 in a duel between the two best NFC teams

Will Reichard fired his 57-yard attempt almost into the front row of the stands, giving those sitting behind the crossbar a chance to catch it on the fly. The field goal gave the Vikings a 10-0 lead. — BEN GÖSSLING

Aaron Jones spent his bye week in Eagan rehabilitating his right hamstring with everything from acupuncture to laser treatment to time in a hyperbaric chamber. The Vikings concluded at the end of the week that he was healthy enough to play against the Lions because of all the work he had done. On the Vikings' first drive, they immediately went to Jones and it paid off.

The running back ran 33 yards for a touchdown, going untouched from the left side of the line to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead after they deflected a fake punt to start the drive with a short field. Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels spoke this week about being prepared for the Lions' frequent punt fakes. Brian Asamoah stopped Jalen Reeves-Maybin on the handoff after the Lions decided to do so in the fourth and seventh.

The Vikings had put Detroit in dire straits with a sack by Andrew Van Ginkel that followed a Lions penalty, and the Lions gained 19 yards on third-and-26, but coach Dan Campbell opted for the fake punt, though the Lions needed to pick up 7 yards. It turned into early momentum for the Vikings when Jones jumped into the stands at U.S. Bank Stadium (a Bank Vault rather than a Lambeau jump) after building another lead for a team rare this season had fallen behind. — BEN GÖSSLING

La Velle E. Neal III wrote that the two-games-in-five-day stretch was a chance for the Vikings to distinguish themselves as a true NFC power.