MINNEAPOLIS _ Six days after an angst-filled loss in Seattle, the Vikings took care of business against the undermanned Lions, beating Detroit 20-7 at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Lions quarterback David Blough was making his second NFL start Sunday and couldn't solve a Vikings defense that was torched in a 37-30 loss to the Seahawks on Monday night.
Kirk Cousins threw for 242 yards and a touchdown for the Vikings (9-4), who remained a game behind first place Green Bay in the NFC North.
The Vikings' defensive line, which produced nine of the team's 10 sacks of Matthew Stafford at U.S. Bank Stadium last year, again tormented a Lions front it has owned in recent meetings. Blough frequently found himself in the unenviable position of looking downfield for a place to unload the ball, rolling toward the sideline with Danielle Hunter bearing down on him. Hunter had three of the Vikings' five sacks, as Minnesota came within 2:14 of holding the Lions scoreless.
The shutout would have been the Vikings' second under coach Mike Zimmer, following their 16-0 win over the Packers on Dec. 23, 2017.
But even though Blough's late touchdown to Kenny Golladay kept the Vikings from a shutout, it came long after they guaranteed he wouldn't put his name with Chase Daniel and Matt Moore among the backup QBs to beat the Vikings this season.
The Lions' risible offense, with Blough making his second NFL start and veteran right tackle Rick Wagner leaving because of a knee injury, needed 40 plays to reach 100 yards for the game. It was the fourth time since 1991 the Vikings held an opponent to fewer than 100 yards through the first three quarters of a game.
Blough, an undrafted rookie from Purdue, made his first start in a Thanksgiving loss to Chicago. The Lions, who have been without Stafford (broken bones in his back) for six weeks, fell to 3-9-1.
Detroit had an opportunity to make the game close late in the first half. The Lions trailed 10-0 but drove to the Vikings' 15. On third-and-2, Blough was sacked by Hunter and Matt Prater attempted a 45-yard field goal, which frisbeed right.
The Vikings took over at their 35 with 1:06 left and quickly drove for a touchdown. Cousins' 44-yard pass to Stefon Diggs set up a 3-yard scoring fun from Dalvin Cook, and the Vikings led 17-0 at halftime.
Dan Bailey kicked a 50-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter. The drive started when Harrison Smith intercepted Blough, a play on which cornerback Xavier Rhodes sprained his right ankle, twisting in the turf as he tried to avoid a leaping Smith.
The first touchdown of the first half came on a 9-yard strike from Cousins to Bisi Johnson. The Vikings missed a chance of their own when they were called for a false start while going for it on fourth-and-1 from the Lions' 4 in the second quarter, and settled for a 27-yard field goal from Bailey.
The Vikings, who got a late-game interception from Andrew Sendejo, play the Chargers in Los Angeles next Sunday before finishing the regular season with home games against Green Bay and Detroit.
