The Lions lead the Vikings 30-24 with fewer than two minutes remaining on Sunday, and the Vikings had run out of timeouts. The Vikings held the ball, and if the Lions could force a turnover, they would just need to kneel to win the game and the division. That’s when Lions defensive lineman John Cominsky made a critical error.
The ball was fumbled right in front of Cominsky by Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens, and all Cominsky had to do was fall on it. Instead, Cominsky attempted to pick up the ball and ended up kicking it, allowing the Vikings to recover. On the next play, Mullens completed a 28-yard pass, followed by a 26-yard pass, and it appeared that the Vikings would drive down the field and score the game-winning touchdown. Fortunately for Cominsky, Mullens threw an interception, and the Lions won a game that Cominsky knows he could have won if he had kept his cool.
“You see the football on the ground and kind of get caught up in the moment, forget the situation you’re in, and make mistakes,” Cominsky explained, according to Justin Rogers of the Detroit News.
Cominsky stated that the Lions’ defensive players discuss the game scenario and know when they only need to force a turnover to win, but he failed to recall this at the crucial moment.
“Yeah, it’s something you have to do before the snap,” Cominsky explained. “A lot of guys, you go through a little checklist, just to remind yourself of what to do.” It’s known as ‘Miller Time.’ That’s one of those moments where you just jump on a ball on the ground. Miller Time is a conservative mindset, as in if you get an interception, you immediately go down to the ground. You have to tell yourself, ‘It’s Miller Time, it’s Miller Time,’ just before the snap. Obviously, I did not do it.”
This time it worked out for the Lions. And they’ll hope that everyone remembers the gaming situation the following time.
