DETROIT — Third-and-5 with the game on the line, J.J. McCarthy put the dagger on the money to Jalen Nailor.

The 16-yard reception by the receiver moved the ball to the Detroit 44 and sent Minnesota into victory formation with a 27-24 upset of Detroit.

For Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell, the decision boiled down to "total team trust" as well as a second chance to ice a game against the Lions that wasn't executed in the teams' first meeting of 2024.

For McCarthy, it was a vote of confidence and an opportunity to reward a player who has impressed with his work ethic.

"I told 'Speedy ever since the beginning of the season that he's gonna make his mark," McCarthy said. Every single day, every single game, he's always doing the dirty work. He's always doing everything right. Coach O'Connell gave us that confidence to go convert on that play, I knew it was meant to be, and I knew it was his moment."

A former Wolverine and a former Spartan rarely connect so harmoniously.

It was McCarthy's third career start, second NFC North game on the road and second career victory.

The first-year starting QB rose to the occasion on multiple pivotal moments and never got rattled in the Lions Den.

Nailor secured the football to defeat 1-on-1 coverage by cornerback Arthur Maulet for his lone catch on four targets. It appeared Nailor had recorded a catch early in the game, but Terrion Arnold was ruled to have possession of the football as both players went to the ground for an interception in the first half.

McCarthy finished 14-of-25 passing for 143 yards with two touchdown tosses, completing scores to Justin Jefferson on Minnesota's opening drive of the game and to T.J. Hockenson for a 14-7 edge with 4:08 left in the first quarter.

He also scored on a 9-yard scramble — on third-and-8 — to put Minnesota up 24-14 with 6:04 remaining in the third quarter.

It was McCarthy's first game action since Sept. 14. His 82.6 passer rating was lowered by the pick, but he shined at key moments throughout the game, helping Minnesota improve to 4-4 on the season and 2-0 in the NFC North.

Here are four more observations.

1. Effectiveness with the blitz

The Vikings entered the game blitzing on 44.3 percent of the time (second in the NFL), and Jared Goff entered the game with an NFL-best 137.7 passer rating against blitzes.

Minnesota was able to blend dialing up pressures, particularly through the interior of the offensive line, with dropping into coverage.

Linebackers Blake Cashman, Eric Wilson and Ivan Pace, Jr., all were feisty in the effort.

Wilson recorded a sack of Goff in the first and second half for his third career game with 2.0 sacks.

The Vikings totaled five sacks and 11 QB hits of Goff on the day.

"It was a mixture. It was a lot of showing pressure and … showing man and playing some other things out of it," O'Connell said. "I just thought the plan both sides of the coaching staff put together was the right plan to win this game.

"They're each their own, and we're gonna have to do the same thing next week and on, and we've certainly got a lot to build on," O'Connell continued. "A lot of things we can clean up to play even tighter and play even more consistent as a football team, but still complementary when we needed to respond to the adversity, slipping here and there, we're activating the momentum changing. It's all part of football."

2. Run game resurgence

The Vikings gained 11 on their first offensive snap of the game, a run by Aaron Jones, Sr. The gain was a strong way to start a touchdown drive and also gave Minnesota more rushing yards than it totaled in the entire first half of its Week 8 game at the Los Angeles Chargers.

Jones opened Minnesota's second possession with a 14-yard gain on the ground. That drive also ended with a touchdown.

The Vikings totaled 66 yards on 11 rushes in the first half, and Minnesota's defense did an effective job of keeping the Lions running game contained.

Minnesota limited Jahmyr Gibbs to 15 yards on four carries and David Montgomery to 10 yards on six rushes. The 25 net rushing yards were the third-fewest by Detroit in a first half this season, behind minus-2 against Green Bay and 6 against Kansas City.

Jones left the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury. He finished with 78 rushing yards on nine carries and 20 receiving yards on two catches. A play initially ruled a pass was changed to a lateral. It popped for 31 to help set up a field goal with 4:42 left in the first half.

Jordan Mason rushed 10 times for 36 yards, and Jordan Addison gained 16 on a sweep to erase a second-and-15.

The Lions finished with 65 yards on 20 rushes.

Minnesota claimed its first victory at Ford Field since the 2020 season finale by winning at the line of scrimmage repeatedly.

3. Special teams standout moments

Vikings special teams delivered standout moments but had one of its brightest spots erased by a holding penalty.

Myles Price appeared to have a 99-yard touchdown on a kickoff return, but the play was wiped away with a hold that went against Tavierre Thomas. Price did have a 61-yarder that stood on his first opportunity.

Even with that play coming off the stat sheet, the undrafted rookie finished with 164 yards on five kickoff returns, good for 32.8 per opportunity.

The most critical play by Minnesota's third phase was a 45-yard field goal attempt by Jake Bates that was blocked by Rodriguez. Isaiah Rodgers scooped the ball and returned it 41 yards to the Detroit 26-yard line before Jake Fox, who had an angle, got Rodgers out of bounds.

Mason followed Addison's run with a 12-yard gain, but Detroit was able to force a 20-yard field goal by Will Reicard, who earlier had made his 14^th career FG of 50-plus yards.

4. Difference makers return noticeable

The Vikings were able to snap a five-game losing streak to the Lions that had tied the longest by Detroit since the first five games of the series from 1961-63.

Minnesota did so with great help from the returns of Christian Darrisaw and Brian O'Neill on offense, as well as Andrew Van Ginkel, who played for the first time since Week 3.

Van Ginkel was involved time and time again, getting in the mix and helping against the run and pass, and Cashman was everywhere in his third game back. Cashman recorded 14 tackles.

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