Vikings defense delivers ‘needed’ performance in Eric Wilson’s latest Detroit homecoming

DETROIT – Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson found himself in the middle of a pivotal sequence in the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-24 victory over the Detroit Lions.

Lions quarterback Jared Goff targeted Wilson, the 31-year-old veteran, on a first-down throw to running back David Montgomery that fell incomplete. Goff went back to Montgomery on a quick swing pass that Wilson stalled with a big hit that ended in a tackle for a loss.

Those two plays, as the Vikings led 17-14, preceded Detroit handing off to Montgomery on third and long deep in its own territory. Linebacker Blake Cashman‘s left fist punched the ball free from Montgomery, generating the Vikings’ only takeaway that eventually led to quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s 9-yard touchdown run and a 24-14 lead.

Shannon Sisson, Wilson’s mother, cheered on Wilson with 23 relatives and friends for his eighth homecoming to Detroit. Wilson graduated high school in Redford, Mich., a Detroit suburb about 15 miles west of Ford Field.

“They always show love,” Wilson said. “My mom was probably out there screaming somewhere.”

Wilson had three tackles for losses, including two sacks, for a hyperaggressive Vikings defense that shut down a vaunted Lions run game and flustered Goff for key stretches.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ group still gave up big plays, including a 40-yard touchdown to Lions tight end Sam LaPorta on fourth down on the opening drive, but edge rusher Jonathan Greenard said the defense “needed” that performance after tough losses to the Chargers and Eagles.

For the first time in two years, a typically potent Lions offense faltered with three straight three-and-out drives. Those came over the second and third quarters, allowing the Vikings to maintain control of the game.

The Vikings held Detroit’s backfield duo, Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, to just 65 rushing yards on 20 carries. Minnesota entered the game having allowed an average of 130 rushing yards per week.

“The line of scrimmage was big,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “The physicality that they played with up front allowed guys like Cashman and [Wilson] to go make a lot of tackles, make a lot of plays. I thought there was knock-back. ... It wasn’t always scheme, it was guys defeating blocks.”

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, the free-agent signing who inked a two-year, $30 million deal in March, returned to the starting lineup after his role had been scaled back in the previous two games.

Hargrave played like the game wrecker he was in San Francisco, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh before arriving in Minnesota. His eight combined tackles included six run stops and a sack. He said his benching was motivating.

Hargrave said “everyone was making plays,” from linebacker Blake Cashman‘s 14 combined tackles to outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel returning from a neck injury to tip passes and make tackles behind the line.

Cashman and Wilson frequently disrupted Goff with blitzes, even though he had been one of the NFL’s most productive passers against five or more rushers before Sunday.

“We moved Jared off the spot a little bit,” O’Connell said. “He’s as good as anybody in the National Football League if he can stay clean.”

Defenders weren’t pleased with everything, but they cited the rejuvenated run defense as the most critical part that needs to continue.

Helping matters on Sunday was that Gibbs, the Lions’ dynamic tackle breaker, was seemingly played off the field by allowing so much pressure as a pass protector against a blitz-happy Vikings defense.

“Playing violently against the run,” Wilson said, “and doing it over and over again without getting tired of it.”