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Listless Lions' loss hands Packers place in playoffs
AP • December 26th, 2025 6:45 pm
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff is sacked by Minnesota's Andrew van Ginkel and Dallas Turner | Photo: AP
Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions gifted the Green Bay Packers a spot in the playoffs with six turnovers that sealed their fate in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Detroit's grip on the NFC North, though, had been slipping all season.
With their 23-10 loss to the Vikings on Thursday (Friday NZ time), when Goff threw two interceptions and was charged with three lost fumbles, the Lions were eliminated from post-season contention, clinching at least a wildcard berth for the Packers.
After taking the past two division titles, reaching the conference championship game after the first one and posting a franchise-record 15 wins for the second, the Lions (8-8) lost their third straight game in a sloppy performance unfit for the NFL's Christmas Day showcase.
The Lions entered with only eight turnovers, the fewest in the league.
"Something we've been really good at all year," said Goff, who had just six giveaways over the first 15 games and nearly matched that previous season total on Thursday with the five turnovers that matched the most of his career.
Goff, third in the league in passer rating and second in passing yards and passing touchdowns, went 18-for-29 for 197 yards and one touchdown to Isaac TeSlaa.
The Vikings had five sacks and frequently pressured Goff on plays when they didn't take him down.
In Missouri, Bo Nix ran for a score before throwing a go-ahead touchdown pass to RJ Harvey with 1:45 left in the game as the Denver Broncos held on in the closing seconds for a 20-13 victory over the banged-up Kansas City Chiefs.
Denver quarterback Bo Nix throws a touchdown pass in the Broncos' narrow win over the Chiefs | Photo: AP
Nix finished with 182 yards passing as the Broncos (13-3) bounced back from last week's loss to Jacksonville and took another big step towards the AFC West title.
The Broncos can clinch the division on Saturday if the Chargers lose against Houston.
Third-string quarterback Chris Oladokun and tight end Travis Kelce gave Kansas City a chance, driving quickly downfield after the Broncos had taken the lead.
But a third-down pass at the Denver 26 was just out of Kelce's reach, and Oladokun overthrew Marquise Brown in the end zone on fourth down in the final seconds.
The Chiefs (6-10) were missing Patrick Mahomes and back-up quarterback Gardner Minshew, both of whom tore ligaments in their knees in back-to-back weeks.
Kelce had five catches in what might have been the last game played by the Pro Bowl tight end at Arrowhead Stadium - he plans to announce soon after the season whether he is retiring.
In Landover, Maryland, Dak Prescott threw for 307 yards and two touchdowns as the Dallas Cowboys blew most of an 18-point lead before squeezing past the Washington Commanders 30-23.
The Cowboys' Dak Prescott passes just before being hit by Washington's Bobby Wagner | Photo: AP
Dallas (7-8-1) scored touchdowns on their first three possessions to go up 21-3. Although the Commanders (4-12) cut the gap to a touchdown on three occasions, they couldn't complete the comeback and absorbed their 10th loss in 11 games.
Prescott completed 19-of-37 passes and helped Dallas convert all six of their fourth-down tries.
Both teams had previously been eliminated from playoff contention.
