DETROIT — Jahmir Gibbs scored three of his franchise-record tying four touchdowns in the second half, and the Detroit Lions beat the Minnesota Vikings, 31-9, on Sunday night to win their second straight NFC North title and earn home-field advantage until the Super Bowl.
“Everyone should pass by, my dear!” Detroit defensive end Za'Darius Smith said to the screaming fans after the game.
The Lions (15-2) and Vikings (14-3) could meet again in two weeks.
Detroit will have a much-needed bye to its struggling team during the first week of the playoffs as Minnesota plays the NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams next Monday night.
In the NFL's final game before the playoffs, two regular-season teams with a combined total of 28 wins played for the first time.
The top seed in the regular season finals was determined for the third time in more than three decades.
Dallas closed out the 1993 regular season against the New York Giants with a 16-13 overtime win to give the Cowboys the No. 1 seed which they used to their advantage as they advanced and won the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, the Giants beat Minnesota in the wild card round and were defeated in San Francisco the following week.
Detroit desperately hopes that history will repeat itself.
The Lions are seeking their first Super Bowl appearance and hope to end an NFL championship drought dating back to 1957.
The 272nd regular season game was expected to be a shootout with Pro Bowl quarterbacks leading high-scoring offenses, but Jared Goff and Sam Darnold were not at their best.
Gibbs picked up the slack for his team.
He had 23 carries for 139 yards with three rushing touchdowns and caught five passes for 31 yards and another score.
Goff threw two interceptions after being picked off just once in the previous seven games and Minnesota kicked field goals after turnovers in the second and third quarters.
After Vikings rookie Will Richard connected on his third punt to cut the deficit to 10-9 early in the third, Goff directed a 13-play, 70-yard drive that took 7:25 and was capped off with a brilliant pass to Gibbs for a 10-yard touchdown on fourth-and-2.
Goff was 8 of 8 on that possession and finished 27 of 33 for 231 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
Darnold completed less than half of his passes in the first half, missing opportunities to pick up a first down and score a touchdown.
The Vikings were 0 of 3 in the red zone through two quarters to allow the Lions to take a 10-6 lead into halftime.
The Vikings went to fourth down from the Lions 3 in the second quarter and Darnold, under pressure, knocked down an open Justin Jefferson in the end zone.
Darnold threw another incomplete pass on fourth down from the Detroit 2 early in the third period.
Minnesota coach Kevin O'Connell opted to attempt a 51-yard field goal late in the third period, trailing by eight yards, and Richard missed wide.
Darnold was 18 from 41, a season-low 44 percent completion rate, and connected with Jefferson just three times on nine targets for 54 yards.
