Vikings eliminate Lions with defense-dominating 23-10 victory, racking up 6 turnovers and 5 sacks

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Harrison Smith reveled in his moment with the roaring Minnesota crowd, blowing kisses during an extended showing on the videoboard near the end of one of his best games in a 14-year career.

The Vikings had a blast, even if their season is over next week. Smith, well, was flying around the field like a kid on Christmas.

Jordan Addison took a jet sweep handoff 65 yards for the game-sealing touchdown with 3:43 left after the Vikings forced six turnovers and eliminated the Detroit Lions from contention for the playoffs with a 23-10 victory on Thursday.

Smith, the six-time Pro Bowl safety, had one of the two interceptions and one of the five sacks of Jared Goff as the Vikings (8-8) won their fourth straight game. Smith also had three pass deflections, two tackles for loss and one quarterback hit.

“When you can get out there with a defense like that and a play-caller like that, it’s just fun. I don’t care what day it is. I don’t care what’s on the line. I don’t care what’s at stake. We play a really aggressive style of football that I absolutely love,” said Smith, who was not ready to discuss his feelings about returning to play in 2026.

Goff was charged with three lost fumbles, once on a sack and twice on errant snaps by backup center Kingsley Eguakun.

With the third straight loss for the Lions (8-8), the Green Bay Packers clinched at least a wild-card spot and could still catch the Chicago Bears for the NFC North title that went to Detroit the past two seasons and Minnesota the year before that.

“The story of the game is turnovers,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “You can’t turn the ball over six times and win in this league.”

The Lions and Vikings combined for 29 wins last season, making this an attractive matchup for the NFL's three-game Christmas Day showcase before injuries and other assorted setbacks turned them into also-rans in the top-heavy NFC.

Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer started for the injured J.J. McCarthy at quarterback and — with the Vikings missing starters at both tackle spots, center and tight end — took seven sacks while going just 9 for 16 for 51 yards against a relentless pass rush.

The Vikings had only 75 net yards before Addison took the ball and burst around the right end untouched for his longest career score, capping it with a dive at the pylon to make sure the ball got in as he was pushed out of bounds.

But Brosmer protected the ball the way Goff usually does, helping set up Will Reichard for three field goals and making sure the remarkable effort by the defense didn't get wasted.

“NFL football is hard, and people say it a lot,” Brosmer said. "NFL football is fun too. That’s not me saying I don’t enjoy this. My favorite part is the process.”

Goff went 18 for 29 for 197 yards and a touchdown pass to Isaac TeSlaa late in the second quarter to cap a 19-play, 80-yard drive that took 10:08 off the clock. That was the first passing touchdown allowed by the Vikings in seven games, the only portion of the game the defense would like to have back. Everything else, including the holiday-themed halftime show for Netflix featuring rapper Snoop Dogg, felt like a party.

“We’re out of the playoffs. Everybody shows up in white. They do their part," Smith said, his voice cracking as he spoke of his respect for Vikings fans. "And one of these days, they’ll get it.”

The plus-6 turnover margin was the best in the NFL this season and tied with five other teams for the best in any game in the league in the past nine years, according to Sportradar.

The only other time in Vikings history they've forced at least six turnovers without committing one was in 1975, when they had eight takeaways in a 38-0 win over Atlanta.

Lions: LB Alex Anzalone and safety Thomas Harper were each sidelined by a concussion, with safety Avonte Maddox inactive with a back injury. Harper and Maddox had been starting in place of standouts Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, who are on injured reserve. ... Eguakun was promoted from the practice squad and started in place for Graham Glasgow (knee), who was active. LT Taylor Decker (shoulder) was inactive. ... DT Alim McNeill (abdomen) aggravated the injury that had him questionable to play.

Vikings: Myles Price hurt his ankle returning the opening kickoff and didn't return. ... RB Jordan Mason (ankle) was inactive.

The Lions head to Chicago in Week 18, when the Vikings host Green Bay. Those games will be on either Jan. 3 or 4.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner, right, celebrates a defensive stop with safety Harrison Smith during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) throws under pressure from Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) runs past Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed (4), and safety Jalen Mills to score a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison runs to score a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff, left, is chased by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Dallas Turner during the first half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

WRIGHTWOOD, Calif. (AP) — California, soaked from days of relentless rain and recovering from mudslides in mountain towns, was hit with another powerful storm Christmas Day that led to evacuation warnings and high surf advisories.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in Southern California issued an evacuation warning for Wrightwood, a mountain town about 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Los Angeles, a day after rescuing people trapped in cars during a mud slide.

The National Weather Service said waves near the San Francisco Bay Area could reach up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) Friday.

Statewide, more than 70,000 people were without power Thursday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us.

A day ago, heavy rain and fierce winds were blamed for at least two deaths.

A major storm system moving toward the Midwest and Northeast was expected to interfere with travel, according to the National Weather Service.

A mix of freezing rain and sleet could create icy conditions in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Maryland. Forecasters warned heavy ice could cause outages. Snow was expected to blanket the Northeast early Friday.

Roads in the 5,000-resident California town of Wrightwood were covered in rocks, debris and thick mud on Thursday. With power out, a gas station and coffee shop running on generators were serving as hubs for residents and visitors.

“It’s really a crazy Christmas,” said Jill Jenkins, who was spending the holiday with her 13-year-old grandson, Hunter Lopiccolo.

Lopiccolo said the family almost evacuated the previous day, when water washed away a chunk of their backyard. But they decided to stay and still celebrated the holiday. Lopiccolo got a new snowboard and e-bike.

“We just played card games all night with candles and flashlights,” he said.

Davey Schneider hiked a mile and a half (1.6 kilometers) through rain and floodwater up to his shins from his Wrightwood residence Wednesday to rescue cats from his grandfather's house.

“I wanted to help them out because I wasn't confident that they were going to live,” Schneider said Thursday. “Fortunately, they all lived. They're all okay — just a little bit scared.”

Arlene Corte said roads in town turned into rivers, but her house was not damaged.

“It could be a whole lot worse,” she said. “We’re here talking.”

With more rain on the way, more than 150 firefighters were stationed in the area, said San Bernardino County Fire spokesman Shawn Millerick.

“We’re ready,” he said. “It’s all hands on deck at this point.”

A falling tree killed a San Diego man Wednesday, news outlets reported. Farther north, a Sacramento sheriff’s deputy died in what appeared to be a weather-related crash.

Areas along the coast, including Malibu, were under a flood watch until Friday afternoon, and wind and flood advisories were issued for much of the Sacramento Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The storms were the result of atmospheric rivers carrying massive plumes of moisture from the tropics during one of the busiest travel weeks of the year.

Southern California typically gets half an inch to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 centimeters) of rain this time of year, but this week many areas could see between 4 and 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), with even more in the mountains, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford said.

More heavy snow was expected in the Sierra Nevada, where gusts created “near white-out conditions” and made mountain pass travel treacherous. Officials said there was a “high” avalanche risk around Lake Tahoe and a winter storm warning was in effect through Friday.

Ski resorts around Lake Tahoe recorded about 1 to 3 feet (30 to 91 centimeters) of snow overnight, said Tyler Salas, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Reno. Forecasters expect to see up to another 3 feet (91 centimeters) of snow through Friday, Salas said. The area could see 45-mph (72-kph) gusts in low elevation areas and 100-mph (161-kph) winds along mountain ridges.

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared emergencies in six counties to allow state assistance.

The state deployed resources and first responders to several coastal and Southern California counties, and the California National Guard was on standby.

Associated Press writers Sophie Austin in Oakland, California, and Hannah Schoenbaum in Salt Lake City contributed.

A car is flipped over along a storm-damaged road after a series of storms on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, near Phelan, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Michelle Meyers inspects her property, buried in mud after a series of storms, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

A car is buried in mud after a series of storms Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Mud covers the inside of a property after a series of storms on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Davey Schneider walks on the roof of his storm-damaged home on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Miguel Lopez sweeps water from Marlene's Beachcomber on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

A tourist from China battles the rain on the Santa Monica pier Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Santa Monica, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

Part of California State Route 138 washes away from flooding Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, outside of Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

A resident sweeps water and mud in her house after flooding Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)

A car sits buried in mud after flooding Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, in Wrightwood, Calif. (AP Photo/Wally Skalij)