As the Vikings prepared for Sunday’s highly anticipated game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium, defensive coordinator Brian Flores was asked how he planned to attack a potent offense on the other end. He paused for a few seconds.

“I like to fight fire with fire,” Flores said. “That would be my answer.”

That’s exactly what the Vikings did. They fought fire with fire for as long as they could. and it almost worked. In the end, though, the Lions had a little bit more, and a last-ditch 44-yard field goal from rookie kicker Jake Bates proved to be the difference.

On the final play of the game, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold dropped back to pass with hopes of throwing a Hail Mary. He never got a chance. He got brought down in the backfield, and the Vikings suffered a 31-29 loss to the Lions as a result.

The game started with the Vikings forcing a turnover on downs following a fake punt by the Lions. A couple of plays later, veteran running back Aaron Jones took a carry, bounced outside, and raced 34 yards for a touchdown to make it 7-0 in favor of the Vikings.

After forcing a punt on the next possession, the Vikings got the ball back and rookie kicker Will Reichard nailed a 57-yard field goal that stretched the lead to 10-0.

It looked like the Vikings were well on their way to playing comfortably from ahead. Until the Lions proved why they’re widely regarded as a Super Bowl contender.

The response started with a 45-yard touchdown run from running back Jahmyr Gibbs to narrow the deficit to 10-7, then continued with a 35-yard touchdown catch from receiver Amon Ra St. Brown as the Lions pulled ahead 14-10.

It got worse from there for the Vikings as quarterback Sam Darnold threw a costly interception on the next possession. He had Jones wide open in the flat and instead fired a pass to receiver Jordan Addison on the other side of the field.

It resulted in an interception from safety Brian Branch and the Lions made the Vikings pay with a methodical march down the field. It was capped by another touchdown run by Gibbs as the Lions stretched their lead to 21-10.

After trailing at halftime for the first time this season, the Vikings came out of the locker room and responded. They got into a rhythm on offense, and finished off an 80-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Darnold to star receiver Justin Jefferson to cut the deficit to 21-17.

Naturally, the Lions responded with a big drive of their own, and quarterback Jared Goff continued his stellar play by finding receiver Kalif Raymond for a touchdown to help the Lions go back in front 28-17.

After a pair of field goals from Reichard helped the Vikings cut the deficit to 28-23, the defense finally made made its presence felt.

Never mind that the group had been getting torched by Goff for prolonged stretches. In the biggest moment of the game to that point, safety Josh Metellus punched the ball out, and linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. picked it up and raced 35 yards the other way for a touchdown.

A failed conversion put the Vikings in front 29-28, meaning, yes, they’d need to stop the Lions once again. They couldn’t get it done. On a drive that the Lions had to have, Goff was spectacular, getting the Lions in position for a field goal from Bates that made it 31-29 and proved to be the difference.

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