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CHRISTMAS TO REMEMBER: Former UNH QB Brosmer part of Vikings’ elimination of Lions

By Staff | Dec 26, 2025

Lions QB Jared Goff is chased by the Vikings' Dallas Turner during Thursday's game in Minneapolis. (AP photo)

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

Former University of New Hampshire quarterback Max Brosmer played a turnover-free game for the Vikings in his second career NFL start.

Harrison Smith, the 14th-year veteran 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. 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 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 took them out of the race.

Undrafted rookie 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. Brosmer played for UNH from 2019-23 and transferred to the University of Minnesota for the 2024 season. While at UNH, in 2023 he was a First Team FCS All-American and First Team All-CAA.

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.

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.

Injury report