Vikings' win over Lions featured historically inept passing performance

The Minnesota Vikings played the role of spoiler on Christmas. Their 23-10 win over the Detroit Lions officially eliminated their divisional rival from playoff contention, while also giving each team matching 8-8 records.

The win also gave Vikings fans a nice holiday gift, but it was not exactly the most visually pleasing game. 

Especially from a passing perspective. 

Vikings won game with historically inept passing performance

With J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz injured, the Vikings were forced to turn to Max Brosmer for Thursday's game. He was not very effective, completing just 9-of-16 passes for only 51 yards, while also being sacked seven times for a loss of 48 yards.

His passing yardage, combined with his sack yardage, resulted in the Vikings netting just three total passing yards for the game.

And they still won.

That is a testament to not only how bad the Lions were, but also how good the Vikings defense was. 

It is the type of passing performance that almost always results in a loss for the team that delivers it. 

According to the Pro-Football-Reference StatHead database, the Vikings are just the 12th team since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to win a football game while netting five passing yards or less in a game. 

They are the first team to do so since the 2006 Houston Texans (against the Oakland Raiders), and only the second since the 1987 season. 

The Lions playoff chances were already slim coming into Thursday's game, but it was a game they needed to win if they were going to have any chance. Not only did they fail to get the result against a team with nothing to play for, they could not even beat a team that netted just three yards passing. That is going to make for a long, frustrating offseason for a team that opened the season with Super Bowl expectations. Now they have to face the reality of that Super Bowl window potentially closing.