Game 272 of the regular season was one for the record books for the Detroit Lions.

An epic matchup of two 14-2 teams to end the regular season was dominated by the Lions in all three phases, and when it was all said and done, Detroit became NFC North champions for a second consecutive year after a 31-9 win.

The win not only captured the North title for Detroit, but also secured the team’s first No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, which means the Lions have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

“What a win,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said after the game. “I can’t say enough about our defense. Let me start there. AG (defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn) and the defense they really controlled that game for us, particularly in the first half.

“Just total team effort staring with our defense. Took the whole unit, but what a great job. Back-to-back division winners in the NFC North and got the No. 1 seed, 15 wins, I just couldn’t be more proud of those guys.”

Detroit’s defense was terrific all night, holding the Vikings out of the end zone and making two critical fourth-down stops inside their own 5-yard line to help seal the game. Minnesota was just 3-for-13 on third down, 0-for-3 on fourth down and 0-for-4 in the red zone.

After a slow start, Detroit’s offense came alive in the second half behind three Jahmyr Gibbs touchdowns to give him four in the contest to set a new franchise record with 20 touchdowns on the season, topping Barry Sanders and Jamaal Williams’ franchise record of 17. Gibbs rushed for 139 yards and also caught five passes for 31 yards and has now produced 100-plus scrimmage yards and a touchdown in four straight games, tying a single season franchise record.

“It’s a huge accomplishment, but like I said, and we said it (in the locker room), it’s step one,” quarterback Jared Goff said of the win. “We’re proud to be 15-2 and NFC North champs back-to-back the one seed bye week, all of that stuff we’re proud of it, this is just tick No. 1. Check. Tick No. 2 is next.”

The Lions get a much-needed bye week and automatically advance to the Divisional Round of the playoffs.

After both teams were forced to punt on their opening possession, Detroit put the first points on the board on a 25-yard Gibbs touchdown run just one play after Lions head coach Dan Campbell went for it on 4th & 5 at the Minnesota 39-yard line and converted on a 14-yard Goff to Jameson Williams completion.

Minnesota scored their first points on a 25-yard Will Reichard field goal after Minnesota intercepted Goff at the Lions’ 7-yard line on a tipped pass. That came after Detroit had stopped Minnesota on a 4th & goal play from the 3-yard line their previous possession.

A Reichard 31-yard field goal with 20 seconds left in the first half made it 7-6 Detroit, but the Lions got an opportunity to score points before the end of the half when Reichard kicked the ensuing kickoff out of bounds. Detroit got the ball at the 40-yard line and two Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown connections got it to the Minnesota 30-yard line with a couple seconds left and Jake Bates knocked a 48-yard field goal as the first half clock expired to make it 10-6 Lions at the break.

Detroit’s defense forced their second turnover on downs inside their own 5-yard line on Minnesota’s first possession of the second half.

Following a Reichard 51-yard field goal to trim the Lions’ lead to 10-9, Goff and the Lions’ offense put together a 13-play 70-yard drive capped off by a Gibbs 9-yard touchdown catch on a 4th & 2 play to push the lead to 17-9.

Detroit extended the lead to 24-9 early in the fourth quarter on a 13-yard Gibbs touchdown run and extended it further to 31-9 on Gibbs’ fourth touchdown of the game, a 4-yarder with just over five minutes left.

“Our guys didn’t bat an eye,” Campbell said. “They line up they compete they play to win, and we knew what was at stake. But our guys just came out and played. Our players will show up and make plays because the core of this group has been doing it for four years … and our guys did it again.”