After the Detroit Lions returned from their bye week aiming for a 6-2 record, they faced off against the Minnesota Vikings, with J.J. McCarthy making his return from an ankle injury sustained early in the season.

Many expected the Lions’ defense to dominate against the Vikings’ QB, but instead, the Lions suffered a 27-24 loss. While McCarthy didn’t put up huge numbers, completing 15 of 24 passes for 143 yards and two touchdowns, he also ran in a touchdown himself. Despite being sacked five times and pressured on 14 occasions, McCarthy’s efficiency was enough to secure the win.

The next day, McCarthy took to Instagram to share a post about the game, humorously referencing Lions head coach Dan Campbell’s famous “knee cap” speech from his introductory press conference. McCarthy captioned the post with “knee caps are intact,” a playful jab at Campbell’s now-iconic quote where he vowed his team would be tough and resilient, saying they would “bite a kneecap off” if knocked down.

For Lions fans, McCarthy’s post was a nod to Campbell’s viral comments, which initially earned the coach criticism but have since been embraced as part of the team’s hard-nosed identity under his leadership. The Lions, though dealing with injuries, have remained competitive this season, but Sunday’s loss was a setback. Despite limiting the Vikings to 258 yards on 59 plays, the Lions struggled in the red zone, converting just one of three opportunities while McCarthy led the Vikings to score on three of five red zone trips.

Though McCarthy took some tough hits in the game, his ability to persevere and lead the Vikings to victory made the NFC North race even more intriguing. The Lions will get a shot at revenge when the two teams meet again on Christmas Day.