The Detroit Lions are NFC North champions. The Lions secured the division title, their first since 1993, with a 30-24 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
This was also the Lions’ first NFC North title. The last time the franchise won a division title, they played in NFC Central.
The Vikings, starting backup Nick Mullens under center, held their own pretty well and even managed to get a 17-21 lead at one point in the third quarter. However, the Lions responded with a pair of touchdowns that saw them get back on top at the start of the fourth period.
The key moment of the game came in the final minute of the game. The Vikings, trailing by six points, marched down the field and reached the Lions’ 30-yard line. At 1st&10, Mullens launched a deep pass towards the end zone before being picked off by Detroit’s corner Ifeatu Melifonwu, which ultimately ended the game.
The 2023 season will be special for the Lions for several other reasons. They are currently 11-4, securing their first 10+ wins campaign since 2014. On top of that, they are slated to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
“This is special,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “It’s something you don’t get to do all the time. They’re always special to win a division, I don’t care how many of them you get cause of the work that goes into it. But to do something that hasn’t been done in 30 years for a team is special. And that’s a special group of men back in there that are staying tame at this point.”
The Lions will now focus on translating their regular-season success to the postseason. They haven’t won a playoff game since 1991, marking the longest drought in the league. Detroit has four NFL championships, but their last title came in 1957, and they are yet to play in a Super Bowl.
