Vikings Turn Off the Boos

The Minnesota Vikings were behind again, Randy Moss was still on the sideline and their frustrated fans began to boo.

In what could prove to be a season-saving performance, Daunte Culpepper led a determined comeback and Minnesota’s much-maligned defense made it count against sliding Detroit.

The Vikings shut out the Lions in the second half, overcame a 12-point deficit in the fourth quarter and ended their three-game losing streak Sunday with a 22-19 victory.

Culpepper completed 22 of 32 passes for 233 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for Minnesota (6-4) in a critical division matchup. And he did it without Moss for the fifth straight week because of a strained right hamstring.

“The character of this team showed today,” Culpepper said.

Detroit (4-6) dropped its fourth in a row, scoring only 10 points against a defense that gave up 65 over the last two games in last-second losses at Indianapolis and Green Bay.

“It started last week, when a lot of guys -- especially the veterans -- really started to take over the team a little bit,” said Lance Johnstone, who sacked Joey Harrington three times. “We started holding everyone accountable.”

Eddie Drummond ran the opening kickoff back for a 92-yard touchdown, his third score for the Lions in a five-return span after setting an NFL record with two punt returns for scores in the fourth quarter last week at Jacksonville.

Rookie Kevin Jones rushed for a career-high 100 yards, but only five of them came after halftime -- when the league’s worst running team re-emerged. The Lions were penalized nine times for 116 yards, including an unnecessary roughness call on Jones early in the fourth quarter that gave them third and 17 at the 16 instead of third and two.

The flag came at a key juncture. Culpepper had just finished the first of two long touchdown marches in the fourth quarter with an eight-yard pass and two-point conversion throw to Nate Burleson.

Detroit punted, and Culpepper promptly guided the Vikings on the go-ahead drive capped by a one-yard plunge from Moe Williams that made it 22-19 with 5:27 remaining.