Our Free Press photographers were on the field to capture the Lions grit and glory, from touchdown celebrations to the faces of somber Vikings fans.

The Detroit Lions handled business against the Minnesota Vikings, and clinched home-field advantage in the playoffs. Craig Carton, Danny Parkins, and Mark Schlereth debate if this was a surprising result.

Here are five takeaways from the Vikings’ 31-9 loss to the Lions. There’s no way around it: In the biggest game of his career to this point, quarterback Sam Darnold was completely consumed by the moment. He seemed rattled from the first time he touched the ball and only completed 18 of 41 passes for 166 yards.

The Minnesota Vikings need to reboot their passing attack for the playoffs. Sam Darnold struggled in the regular-season-ending 31-9 loss to the Detroit Lions that cemented the Vikings as a wild-card team and not a division winner.