Lions–Vikings rivalry

Detroit Lions–Minnesota Vikings

Detroit Lions Minnesota Vikings
First meeting	November 19, 1961 Lions 37, Vikings 10
Latest meeting	January 3, 2021 Vikings 37, Lions 35
Statistics
Meetings total	119
All-time series	Vikings, 78–39–2
Largest victory	Lions, 45–7 (1981)
Longest win streak	Vikings, 13 (1968–74)
Current win streak	Vikings, 7 (2017–present)

The Lions–Vikings rivalry is an American football rivalry between the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings.

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. However, the presence of quarterback Matthew Stafford in Detroit made the Lions a more formidable opponent in the 2010s. The Vikings lead the series 78–39–2 as of 2020.

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 Detroit meeting took place on Thanksgiving. 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 Vikings take first series lead in the rivalry, a lead that has yet to be reliquished since. 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 Bloomington 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 Minneapolis 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 Detroit meeting took place on Thanksgiving. 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 Minneapolis. 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). Detroit meeting took place on Thanksgiving. 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 Minneapolis. 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 Minneapolis 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. Detroit meeting took place on Thanksgiving. 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. Detroit meeting took place on Thanksgiving. 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
2020s (Vikings, 2–0) Season Season series at Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings Overall series Notes 2020 Vikings 2–0 Vikings 37–35 Vikings 34–20 Vikings 78–39–2
Summary of Results Season Season series at Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings Notes Regular season Vikings 78–39–2 Vikings 36–23–1 Vikings 42–16–1

See also

Other rivalries involving the two teams:

• Bears–Lions rivalry
• Bears–Vikings rivalry
• Lions–Packers rivalry
• Packers–Vikings rivalry

External links

• NFL.com All-Time Team vs. Team Results
• mcubed.net's Lions-Vikings Series History 1966-present

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