The Detroit Lions came into their home matchup against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, November 2, as clear favorites—but the game at Ford Field didn’t go their way. Despite leading the odds, Detroit fell short in a tight 27–24 loss, giving Minnesota a major divisional victory.

The defeat was especially painful for Detroit, as it marked their third loss of the season, dropping them to 5–3 before they face the Washington Commanders on November 9. Rivalry games are always intense, but this one carried extra weight, and the Vikings’ win gave them plenty to brag about.

McCarthy’s Postgame Shade Toward Dan Campbell

After the win, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy made headlines for more than just his play. The young signal-caller, who’s only in his second NFL season and making just his third career start, couldn’t resist a little postgame trolling directed at Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

McCarthy posted a series of game photos to Instagram the following Monday, captioning them “Knee caps are intact.” Fans immediately caught the reference—a playful jab at Campbell’s famous 2021 introductory press conference where he said his team would “bite a kneecap off” when getting knocked down.

Although Detroit’s defense made McCarthy work for the win—registering 18 pressures and five sacks, tied for the second-highest pressure rate in any game this year according to NFL Next Gen Stats—the young quarterback stayed composed. He finished 7-of-11 passing for 91 yards and a touchdown, per Pro Football Reference.

While McCarthy’s performance showed promise, many found his social media taunt surprising given his limited experience. It’s one thing to celebrate a big win, but taking shots at a respected coach like Campbell could add fuel to the rivalry fire in the future.

Silver Linings for Detroit

Despite the disappointing result, there were still bright spots for the Lions. Running back David Montgomery reached a milestone with his 30th rushing touchdown as a Lion. Along with Jahmyr Gibbs, the two became the first RB duo in the Super Bowl era to each score 30 or more rushing touchdowns within any three-season stretch, according to the team.

On defense, linebacker Jack Campbell continued to impress, recording a sack for the third consecutive game—the first Lions off-ball linebacker to do so since Antonio London in 1995, per NFL Research.

The Lions will look to rebound when they face the Commanders (3–6) next Sunday, hoping to turn their 5–3 record into renewed momentum for the second half of the season.