Detroit -

The Vikings offered a complete NFL experience on Sunday. They entered a game as severe underdogs, took a commanding lead, then gave it away, finally falling after giving up a late field goal and throwing incomplete on fourth-and-five at the two-minute warning.

They lost to the Detroit Lions, 16-14. If you like moral victories, this was one of the better ones of the season.

Teddy Bridgewater played almost flawlessly. It was the ``almost'' that cost the Vikings the game.

He threw interceptions on two consecutive passes in the first half, turning a 14-0 lead that accurately indicated the Vikings' dominance into a 14-10 lead at the half. He also missed a wide-open Jarius Wright on the last drive of the game, needing about 35 yards to set up a potential game-winning field goal.

With the Vikings' defense playing well against Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford, Bridgewater again looked almost flawless in the second half. But with no running game to speak of, and kicker Blair Walsh missing one long attempt, and having a short one blocked, the Lions eventually wore down the Vikings and won it with a late field goal.

A victory for the Vikings would have been their first against a good team this season, and their first in the division. They need to beat Chicago in the last regular season game to avoid going winless in the NFC North.

Bridgewater was remarkably accurate on almost all of his throws. His bad throws cost him, and his team. That's life as an NFL quarterback.

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We'll have complete coverage of the game later tonight on Startribune.com, and in the Monday paper. (Buy the paper - you get to see Jerry Holt's great photos.)

My latest podcasts, including those with Jarius Wright and Chad Greenway, are up at SouhanUnfiltered.com.

@Souhanstrib