On Sunday, November 2nd, the Minnesota Vikings beat the Detroit Lions in Detroit 27-24. This result surprised many Viking fans, who had wondered if their season was over.

At the start of the game, Minnesota’s offense exploded, scoring 17 points in the first half. Detroit then defended effectively in the second half, limiting Minnesota to just 10 points. However, the Minnesota Vikings’ offense was able to run down the clock well at the end, preventing the Detroit Lions from making a comeback.

Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy returned healthy for this week’s match-up. He threw 14 for 25 for 143 yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 1 rushing touchdown, and 1 interception, showing that he did not play great, but watching the game reveals his untapped potential.

“I think just his overall demeanor is so positive throughout the game,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said about the 22-year-old McCarthy. “He just seems to—if anything, sometimes, he gets really excited. He’s competitive. This guy’s a winner. And he’s now—twice this year—really found ways to win under some unique circumstances on the road in the NFC North. This is a tough place to come play.”

Meanwhile, the Vikings’ defense was the big shocker in the game. The Minnesota defense has been lacking in recent weeks. Going against one of the best offenses in the league, it didn’t seem like the Vikings had a good outlook. However, the Vikings were somehow able to hold Detroit offensively. Minnesota constantly put pressure on Detroit quarterback Jared Goff. Detroit had to punt many times and settle for field goals instead of touchdowns.

“You know they’re going to keep competing. You know they’re going to make some plays,” O’Connell said. “They’ve got some really good players over there, and it just felt like our guys kept playing and pressed onward.”

Next week, Minnesota will play against the Baltimore Ravens at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday at 12:00 pm. This game will be a good test to see if this Vikings team can actually be a competitive force that many NFL teams will fear to play against in the future.