The Detroit Lions secured a narrow victory against the rival Minnesota Vikings in Week 7, edging out a 31–29 win in the final moments of the fourth quarter, thanks to a clutch field goal from kicker Jake Bates.
Bates, who revealed after Sunday’s game that he had once considered quitting football to become a brick salesman, nailed the game-winning 44-yard field goal with just 15 seconds left on the clock.
Following the game, head coach Dan Campbell was ecstatic, and in his signature style, he emphatically presented the game ball to Bates.
“Alright. Hey, Mr. Bates! Where you at?” Campbell shouted.
“Where’s Bates at? Get up here, Bates! Give the man his ball!”
With a broad grin, Bates caught the game ball and delivered a brief speech, giving credit to Detroit’s offense.
“Hey, how about the offense getting us in position, man? With like a minute and a half left, getting down there, man. We trust you guys with everything.
And then field goal line, I know that’s like the worst job in the world. I really appreciate you guys,” said Bates.
Since joining the Lions at the start of the season, Bates has been flawless, making all six of his field goal attempts in his first six games.
None was more significant than Sunday’s, which not only secured the win but also propelled Detroit to the top of the NFC North.
