MINNEAPOLIS — The Vikings defense prides itself on situational mastery – so Sunday was surprising.

Detroit gained positive yards on four straight plays, including chunks of 14, 16 and 14, with 2:32 to go in the fourth quarter, setting up kicker Jake Bates for the game-winning field goal and NFC North lead.

It was a no-frills 2-minute drill, and Minnesota simply couldn't get off the field.

"I think it's surprising because that's our philosophy," Vikings safety Joshua Metellus said following the 31-29 loss. "We know what the standard is, and the standard is to be great in those moments especially."

The standard was intact, occasionally, in the first game at U.S. Bank Stadium in 28 days. It was disguised, intermittently, as a sixth consecutive win for the 5-1 Vikings, but featured uncharacteristic moments.

"We get [into] a heavyweight battle like this, it comes down to situational football," Metellus lamented.

Too many sequences were not up to snuff: Like players reacting slowly and taking poor angles on a long Lions touchdown run; several blitzes that were a half-second from getting home before Jared Goff sliced and diced a secondary playing behind a big cushion, and as damaging a second quarter as imaginable.

"They knew exactly where the sweet spots and the soft spots of the defense [were] going to be," Jonathan Greenard said. "Hats off to them. They [saw] what they liked and continued to hit on it."

The letdown was strongest after the team's trademark fast start – and at the bitter end.

Detroit controlled the clock for 9:16 in the second period and vaporized the Vikings 10-zip advantage, roaring towards 202 yards of total offense and touchdowns on all three possessions for a 21-10 reversal.

On the Lions first scoring play, a 45-yard run by Jahmyr Gibbs, linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill was hesitant coming downhill, which allowed tackle Penei Sewell to reach and get hands on him in the second level. Gibbs accelerated through a wide crease and punched the afterburners after juking safety Camryn Bynum.

"He's really good in open space so that made it a challenge," Bynum said, admitting he expects to make that tackle. "That's just not good enough by me – coming down for a one-on-one tackle, I have to play inside out, don't let him cut back on me. And I take full ownership on that play. … I've done it before and I know that next time it happens, my feet will be good and I'm making that tackle, so that's 100% on me."

Goff found Amon-Ra St. Brown for a 35-yard TD on Detroit's next series and finished 7-for-7 with 118 yards passing in the second quarter – he started the game 15-for-15; his first incompletion was deflected at the line by Vikings defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard. Overall, Goff completed 88% of his throws for 280 yards and a 140.0 passer rating.

"There [weren't] too many big plays, especially with an electric offense," Bynum said, "but they were able to march down the field. Like I said, it's just not enough – little mess-ups here for everybody."

Bynum applauded Goff for discerning the weaknesses against the Vikings blitzes.

"There's always a beater in every single defense," Bynum said. "Credit to him for finding those."

Gibbs added a second rushing touchdown in the second quarter, giving him twice as many in a single frame as the Vikings defense allowed in the first five games. The scat-back was the focal point of Detroit's attack, totaling 116 yards on the ground and 44 more on four receptions. His final one was key.

With 1:25 to play, Gibbs streamed out of the backfield and snuck past Greenard, who was supposed to follow him to the flat. It turned into a 16-yard catch. Greenard took responsibility for the missed assignment, and showered Gibbs, a fellow Georgia native, with esteem for his speed and physicality.

"He's a hell of a player," Greenard confessed. "One of the better backs in the league in my opinion."

"A lot of times in those situations you're hoping to maybe keep the back in, keep him in via pressure or whatever," Vikings Head Coach Kevin O'Connell shared. "He got out, and they were able to find him."

The lowlights stole from Brian Asamoah II's unflinching tackle on Detroit's fake-punt attempt on the game's initial drive; Ivan Pace, Jr.'s, first career touchdown on a 35-yard scoop-and-score; a roundtable of Vikings defenders subbing for normal green dot Blake Cashman at inside linebacker, and NFL Defensive Player of the Year candidate Andrew Van Ginkel bolstering his gaudy résumé with sacks in the first and fourth quarters.

Pace, who was the designated defensive play-caller in place of Cashman (out with turf toe), finished with 10 tackles and plucked the football off the ground after Metellus peanut-punched it free from David Montgomery and raced 36 yards down the Lions sideline to put the Vikings ahead with six minutes left.

"He's just continuing to grow," Greenard said, adding he's super proud of the second-year linebacker. "Short notice – whatever the case may be – he's ready to go. I mean, he's going to see ball [and] get ball."

Greenard and Van Ginkel each dislodged the ball on sacks of Goff but neither resulted in turnovers. The latter rotated from his usual edge position – as did rookie Dallas Turner – on a few instances and aligned next to Pace. Metellus dropped down to linebacker, too, trying to make up for Cashman's lost impact.

"It was definitely a good plan," Grugier-Hill said of the front-seven musical chairs. "We all have different skill sets and do different things. Having Gink' back there, having Dallas back there … it was a good plan."

Metellus added: "The plan was to keep them guessing. … We all can blitz well, we all can cover well. So we just wanted to keep them guessing on where we wanted to do things and send our looks."

The Vikings corralled Goff four times – but failed to record an interception for the first time this year.

The first "L" of 2024 doesn't boil down to one or two mismanaged downs, of course.

Similar to playing complementary football in the first five wins, there was something left to desire from all 11 players, and coaches, in each phase. Another conversion or stop. A longer punt. Different play calls.

"Our players and coaches have to understand that we cannot just treat the end of [the] game like 'This is how we're going to go win it,' " O'Connell said. "Your one impact might be a second-and-8 in the middle of the second quarter. Might be a first-and-10 in the middle of the first quarter. Might be the first play of the game. But urgency and trying to make sure the standard is driven to a place around here where we get that execution, we make those plays, and we consistently complement all three phases of our team."