A year and a half ago, Lions kicker Jake Bates was selling bricks. Now he’s making game-winning kicks.

Bates connected on a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to give the Detroit Lions a 31-29 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. The rookie is now 10-for-10 on field goals this season and has made 20 of 21 extra-point attempts.

It was a back-and-forth game, perhaps matching the two best teams in the NFC.

KSTP Sports spoke postgame with WR Justin Jefferson, LT Christian Darrisaw, RB Aaron Jones Sr., LB Jonathan Greenard, S/LB Josh Metellus, and CB Shaq Griffin.

***Click the video box above to watch Jefferson, Darrisaw, Jones Sr., Greenard, Griffin, and Metellus react to the loss***

The defending division champion Lions are tied with the Vikings, with the Green Bay Packers (5-2) a half-game back and the idle Chicago Bears (4-2) one game behind. The quartet that has produced exactly one Super Bowl champion in the previous 27 seasons had the highest combined winning percentage for one division in NFL history entering Week 7 or later.

The Vikings have a short week, playing at the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night football. We await word if TE T.J. Hockenson (knee) makes his season debut.

The Rams will get WR Cooper Kupp back for Thursday’s game, per head coach Sean McVay after their win over Las Vegas Sunday. The former Super Bowl MVP has not played since he sprained his ankle in Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals.