From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
National Football League rivalry
Detroit Lions–Minnesota Vikings First meeting November 19, 1961 Lions 37, Vikings 10 Latest meeting December 8, 2019 Vikings 20, Lions 7 Next meeting TBD, 2020 Meetings total 117 All-time series Vikings, 76–39–2 Largest victory Lions, 45–7 (1981) Longest win streak Vikings, 13 (1968–74) Current win streak Vikings, 5 (2017–present)
The Lions–Vikings rivalry is an American football rivalry between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings .[ 1]
The Lions and Vikings have played twice annually since the Vikings entered the league’s Western Conference in 1961 . The two teams moved to the NFC Central after the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, which became the NFC North after the NFL's 2002 realignment. This is the only NFC North rivalry without any head-to-head postseason meetings. Both teams play in indoor stadiums, and both are known for their bad luck.
Since the rivalry's establishment with the Vikings joining the NFL in 1961, Minnesota has largely dominated the series. The most lopsided decades were in the 1970s and 2000s, with the Vikings going 35–5 against the Lions in those two decades, and 41–34–2 head-to-head in all other combined decades. The presence of quarterback Matthew Stafford in Detroit made the Lions a more formidable opponent in the 2010s, however. The Vikings lead the series 76–39–2 as of 2019.[ 2]
Game results
Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings Season-by-Season Results
1960s (Lions, 9–7–2)
Season
Season series
at Detroit Lions
at Minnesota Vikings
Overall series
Notes
1961
Lions 2–0
Lions 13–7
Lions 37–10
Lions 2–0
Vikings join NFL as an expansion team.
1962
Lions 2–0
Lions 37–23
Lions 17–6
Lions 4–0
1963
Tie 1–1
Lions 28–10
Vikings 34–31
Lions 5–1
1964
Lions 1–0–1
Tie 23–23
Lions 24–20
Lions 6–1–1
1965
Tie 1–1
Vikings 29–7
Lions 31–29
Lions 7–2–1
1966
Tie 1–1
Vikings 28–16
Lions 32–31
Lions 8–3–1
1967
Lions 1–0–1
Lions 14–3
Tie 10–10
Lions 9–3–2
1968
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 13–6
Vikings 24–10
Lions 9–5–2
1969
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 27–0
Vikings 24–10
Lions 9–7–2
Vikings win 1969 NFL Championship , lose Super Bowl IV
1970s (Vikings, 17–3)
Season
Season series
at Detroit Lions
at Minnesota Vikings
Overall series
Notes
1970
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 30–17
Vikings 24–20
Tie 9–9–2
Both teams placed in the NFC Central after AFL-NFL merger
1971
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 16–13
Vikings 29–10
Vikings 11–9–2
1972
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 34–10
Vikings 16–13
Vikings 13–9–2
1973
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 23–9
Vikings 28–7
Vikings 15–9–2
Vikings lose Super Bowl VIII
1974
Tie 1–1
Vikings 7–6
Lions 20–16
Vikings 16–10–2
Vikings win 13 straight meetings (1968–74). Lions win in Minnesota came as the Lions intercepted a pass in the end zone on the game's final play. Vikings lose Super Bowl IX .
1975
Tie 1–1
Lions 17–10
Vikings 25–19
Vikings 17–11–2
Lions open Pontiac Silverdome
1976
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 10–9
Vikings 31–23
Vikings 19–11–2
Vikings lose Super Bowl XI
1977
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 30–21
Vikings 14–7
Vikings 21–11–2
1978
Tie 1–1
Lions 45–14
Vikings 17–7
Vikings 22–12–2
1979
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 13–10
Vikings 14–7
Vikings 24–12–2
1980s (Vikings, 13–6)
Season
Season series
at Detroit Lions
at Minnesota Vikings
Overall series
Notes
1980
Tie 1–1
Lions 27–7
Vikings 34–0
Vikings 25–13–2
1981
Tie 1–1
Lions 45–7
Vikings 26–24
Vikings 26–14–2
1982
Vikings 1–0
Vikings 34–31
no game
Vikings 27–14–2
Game in Minnesota cancelled due to players strike reducing the season to 9 games. Vikings move to Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome .
1983
Tie 1–1
Lions 13–2
Vikings 20–17
Vikings 28–15–2
Vikings win 7 straight home meetings (1976–83)
1984
Tie 1–1
Vikings 29–28
Lions 16–14
Vikings 29–16–2
1985
Tie 1–1
Lions 41–21
Vikings 16–13
Vikings 30–17–2
1986
Tie 1–1
Vikings 24–10
Lions 13–10
Vikings 31–18–2
1987
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 17–14
Vikings 34–19
Vikings 33–18–2
1988
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 23–0
Vikings 44–17
Vikings 35–18–2
1989
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 20–7
Vikings 24–17
Vikings 37–18–2
Vikings win 7 straight meetings (1986–89)
1990s (Tie, 10–10)
Season
Season series
at Detroit Lions
at Minnesota Vikings
Overall series
Notes
1990
Tie 1–1
Vikings 17–7
Lions 34–27
Vikings 38–19–2
1991
Lions 2–0
Lions 10–6
Lions 34–14
Vikings 38–21–2
Lions' first season sweep since 1962. Barry Sanders rushed for 220 yards and four touchdowns in the game in Minnesota.
1992
Tie 1–1
Lions 31–17
Vikings 31–14
Vikings 39–22–2
1993
Tie 1–1
Vikings 13–0
Lions 30–27
Vikings 40–23–2
1994
Tie 1–1
Lions 41–19
Vikings 10–3
Vikings 41–24–2
1995
Tie 1–1
Lions 44–38
Vikings 20–10
Vikings 42–25–2
Lions' 44–38 win is the highest scoring game in the rivalry's history (82 points)
1996
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 24–22
Vikings 17–13
Vikings 44–25–2
1997
Lions 2–0
Lions 38–15
Lions 14–13
Vikings 44–27–2
1998
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 34–13
Vikings 29–6
Vikings 46–27–2
1999
Tie 1–1
Lions 25–23
Vikings 24–17
Vikings 47–28–2
2000s (Vikings, 18–2)
Season
Season series
at Detroit Lions
at Minnesota Vikings
Overall series
Notes
2000
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 31–24
Vikings 24–17
Vikings 49–28–2
Vikings' WR Randy Moss has 168 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in the game in Detroit
2001
Tie 1–1
Lions 27–24
Vikings 31–26
Vikings 50–29–2
2002
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 38–36
Vikings 27–23
Vikings 52–29–2
Lions open Ford Field
2003
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 23–13
Vikings 24–14
Vikings 54–29–2
2004
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 28–27
Vikings 22–19
Vikings 56–29–2
2005
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 21–16
Vikings 27–14
Vikings 58–29–2
2006
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 30–20
Vikings 26–17
Vikings 60–29–2
Vikings win 10 straight meetings (2002–06)
2007
Tie 1–1
Lions 20–17
Vikings 42–10
Vikings 61–30–2
2008
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 20–16
Vikings 12–10
Vikings 63–30–2
Lions' QB Dan Orlovsky infamously runs out of the back of his own end zone for a safety in the game in Minnesota. Lions complete first 0–16 season in NFL history.
2009
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 27–13
Vikings 27–10
Vikings 65–30–2
2010s (Vikings, 11–9)
Season
Season series
at Detroit Lions
at Minnesota Vikings
Overall series
Notes
2010
Tie 1–1
Lions 20–13
Vikings 24–10
Vikings 66–31–2
Vikings win 13 straight home meetings
2011
Lions 2–0
Lions 34–28
Lions 26–23(OT)
Vikings 66–33–2
Lions win in Minneapolis (and sweep the season series) for first time since 1997
2012
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 20–13
Vikings 34–24
Vikings 68–33–2
2013
Tie 1–1
Lions 34–24
Vikings 14–13
Vikings 69–34–2
Game in Minnesota was the final game played at the Metrodome.
2014
Lions 2–0
Lions 16-14
Lions 17-3
Vikings 69–36–2
Vikings move to TCF Bank Stadium .
2015
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 28–19
Vikings 26–16
Vikings 71–36–2
2016
Lions 2–0
Lions 16–13
Lions 22–16(OT)
Vikings 71–38–2
Vikings open U.S. Bank Stadium .
2017
Tie 1–1
Vikings 30–23
Lions 14–7
Vikings 72–39–2
First time since 1993 that the away team won both meetings
2018
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 27–9
Vikings 24–9
Vikings 74–39–2
2019
Vikings 2–0
Vikings 42–30
Vikings 20–7
Vikings 76–39–2
See also
Other rivalries involving the two teams:
References
External links
Links to related articles
Franchise Records Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (9) League championships (4) Media Current league affiliations
Franchise Stadiums Culture Lore Rivalries Division championships (21) Conference championships (4) League championships (1) Retired numbers Current league affiliations