Five extra points: Hutchinson invisible, Goff too visible in comeback victory vs. Lions

1. O'Neill, Darrisaw make Hutchinson disappear

A week after posting three first-half sacks in a win over Washington, Lions star rookie pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson had zero impact while being manhandled by tackles Brian O'Neill and Christian Darrisaw in the Vikings' 28-24 win at U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday. "We're going to have battles, me and him, for years to come," O'Neill said of the second overall draft pick. "I also know he was a little banged up, but just like I'm better now than when I was a rookie, he's going to be better, too." Hutchinson missed two practices last week because of a thigh injury. He posted no stats Sunday other than one pressure up the middle. Ineffective against the run, Hutchinson was easily driven out of his gap by O'Neill on a 7-yard run by Dalvin Cook and by tight end Johnny Mundt on a 9-yard run by Cook.

2. O'Connell wins first challenge, loses his cool

Coach Kevin O'Connell won the first coaching challenge he's used as an NFL head coach, turning a 4-yard Lions run into a 3-yard run and a fourth-and-1 situation. His predecessor, Mike Zimmer, was 28-25 on challenges in his eight seasons. O'Connell also lost his cool with the officials at the end of the first half. He claims the Lions knocked the ball from center Garrett Bradbury's hands, preventing the Vikings from being able to clock the ball with 1 second left to set up a 61-yard field goal attempt by Greg Joseph. "I think we all saw [it]," O'Connell said before referencing a similar situation in last year's Cowboys-49ers playoff game. "We'll have to improve and really coach our guys that it's a real possibility that the other team can knock the ball out of your hands and it somehow won't be a penalty."

3. Campbell's last fourth-down call: 'I feel like I cost our team'

Lions coach Dan Campbell set NFL records for most fourth-down conversions (21) and fourth-down attempts (41) as a rookie head coach in 2021. He went for it six times Sunday. And yet the big fella got too conservative at the end, and even he admits he blew it. Leading by three and facing fourth-and-4 with 1:14 left, he tried a 54-yard field goal when A, his offense had converted four of six fourth downs; and B, his kicker, Austin Seibert, had clanged a 48-yarder off the right upright in the first quarter, not to mention the fact he had never made a field goal longer than 53 yards in his career. Seibert wasn't even close. Asked about his decision, Campbell said, "I hate it. I just hate the decision. … I regret that decision 100 percent. I do feel like I cost our team. I really do, man."

4. Youngsters making kick coverage a weapon

Perhaps the best hit of Sunday's game was rookie linebacker Brian Asamoah plastering kick returner Justin Jackson at the Detroit 14-yard line in the second quarter. "[Special teams coordinator Matt Daniels] drew that up for me to come free and make the play," Asamoah said. "I repped it in practice, made the play, then did the same thing in the game." Rookie Akayleb Evans is called the "twister" on that coverage call. He takes on the double team Daniels anticipated the Lions would try on Asamoah. "I just cut off Akayleb's lead," Asamoah said. "After that, the free guy has to make the play." The Lions returned three kicks Sunday and never reached beyond their 22. Kris Boyd and Troy Dye made the other stops. The Vikings are allowing just 14.5 yards on six returns this season. "[Kick coverage] is becoming a weapon for us," Asamoah said.

5. Goff was way too comfortable at U.S. Bank Stadium

Defensive coordinator Ed Donatell would be getting roasted for this game had the Lions not found a way to be the Lions and blow a 10-point fourth-quarter lead. Once again, Donatell's defense sat back and trusted a four-man rush that wasn't making the statue that is Jared Goff uncomfortable. Goff wasn't sacked and was hit only twice. When the Lions led 14-0, Goff had been pressured once — on a far-too-rare blitz by Eric Kendricks — while completing 11 of 14 passes for 132 yards, one touchdown and a 129.8 passer rating. These eyeballs counted only nine noticeable pressures in the game. In those plays, Goff ran twice for eight yards and completed 2 of 7 passes for 23 yards, including two first-down completions on third and fourth down, and the game-clinching interception by Josh Metellus came as D.J. Wonnum was notching the second of his two QB hits.