MINNEAPOLIS — With two of the Detroit Lions’ best players on offense injured and ruled out against the Minnesota Vikings, the defense made sure their presence wasn’t needed.

Detroit stifled, harassed and physically dominated the Vikings’ offense on Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium, leading the Lions to a 17-3 win in a game that wasn’t that close.

With wide receiver Calvin Johnson and running back Reggie Bush sidelined by ankle injuries, the Detroit offense didn’t do much either.

Detroit’s defense was animalistic, sacking Vikings rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater eight times, picking him off on three occasions and holding the Vikings to 212 total yards.

“I think this is actually my first time with something of that nature,” Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said of the defensive dominance Sunday. “I’d have to think back to college. Obviously, it’s something great, but I think we could could have done more. That’s how I look at it.”

Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said, “They kicked out butt. We physically got beat. Give credit to Detroit. They did a good job.”

Suh had two sacks Sunday, giving him 30 1/2 for his career, a franchise record for defensive tackles.

“That’s great and I appreciate it, I definitely owe it to all my guys I play next to,” Suh said.

Detroit got all the offense it needed on the opening drive, scoring on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Stafford to running back Theo Riddick. For Riddick, who sparked the drive with a 41-yard catch two plays earlier, it was his first career receiving touchdown.

The Lions overcame continued woes in their kicking game. Matt Prater, the team’s third kicker of the season who joined Detroit on Thursday, made only 1 of 3 attempts, missing on a 50-yard try in the second quarter and a 44-yarder in the third quarter.

He did connect on a 52-yard try at the end of the first half.

“When they send me out there, I’m supposed to make them,” Prater said. “I’m upset with my performance today, but I’m glad we got the win.”

Running back Joique Bell, starting in place of Bush, had Detroit’s other touchdown, leaping over the top for a 1-yard score early in the fourth quarter. Bell rushed 18 times for 75 yards.

Riddick led the Lions with 75 yards on five catches before leaving the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury.

“Above all else, we always tell (the players) to win,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. “It might not be pretty. On the road, it might not be pretty against a good team that played as well as they did on defense.”

Bridgewater finished 23-of-37 passing for 188 yards. Running back Jerick McKinnon led Minnesota with 40 yards rushing and 42 yards receiving.

What the Lions said:

“They came through again. They gave up three points and we’re thankful for those guys. I don’t know what we’d do without them, but good teams find ways to win. The defense held down and the offense did just enough.” — Wide receiver Golden Tate on the play of Detroit’s defense.

What the Vikings said:

“Any time you turn the ball over, it’s going to really affect you as an offense. I think our defense played really well today. Our offense, we just weren’t able to complement them. We couldn’t get anything going. It was just hard for us today.” –Running back Jerick McKinnon on Minnesota’s three turnovers.

What we learned about the Lions:

1. This defense is for real. The NFL’s top-ranked unit entering the day showed exactly why Sunday, sacking Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater eight times and intercepting three passes. The rookie was never able to establish a rhythm as the Lions were able to create pressure all day, usually rushing only three or four guys.

2. Has someone put a curse on Lions kickers? Matt Prater, a Pro Bowler with the Denver Broncos last season, was signed on Tuesday after Alex Henery missed three kicks in a 14-13 loss to Buffalo last week. Prater missed a pair of kicks himself in his Lions debut Sunday, missing wide left on a 50-yarder in the second quarter and blasting one off the left upright on a 44-yard try in the third quarter. “We feel good about him. We have all the confidence in the world,” Lions coach Jim Caldwell said. Prater did hit a 52-yarder with one second remaining in the first half.

–DL Ndamukong Suh had two of Detroit’s eight sacks on Sunday, giving him 30 1/2 for his career, a new franchise record amongst defensive tackles.

–RB Joique Bell led the Lions with 74 yards on 18 carries in the absence of starter Reggie Bush, who missed the game with an ankle injury. Bell also scored on a one-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to make it a 17-0 game.

–RB Theo Riddick left the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury and did not return. But before he did, Riddick made a difference, hauling in a 41-yard catch and run and scoring on a nine-yard reception on the game’s first drive. It was the first receiving touchdown of Riddick’s career.

–K Matt Prater, signed as a free agent on Thursday, went 1-for-3 on field goals Sunday, missing from 50 and from 44 yards. He nailed a 52-harder just before halftime.

What we learned about the Vikings:

1. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is a rookie and will have games like this. Bridgewater was brilliant in his first NFL start two weeks ago, throwing for 317 yards and rushing to a touchdown in leading the Vikings to a win over the Atlanta Falcons. Sunday against Detroit was a different story, as Bridgewater was sacked eight times and threw three interceptions, including his first one, when he threw into double coverage attempting to squeeze a ball into Cordarrelle Patterson in the end zone. “We expect a lot of ourselves and I expect a lot of myself,” Bridgewater said. “It was one of those days where we needed to show up and we didn’t.”

2. Jerick McKinnon appears to be getting better with each passing week. McKinnon led the Vikings in both rushing (11 carries, 40 yards) in his first NFL start, but showed his versatility, also leading the team in receiving (six catches, 42 yards). His numbers weren’t eye-popping, but against a stingy Lions defense, McKinnon was the only standout for Minnesota offensively.

–RB Jerick McKinnon made his first NFL start Sunday, and led the Vikings with 40 yards on 11 carries. He also hauled in six passes for 42 yards, which led Vikings’ receivers.

–QB Teddy Bridgewater was 23 of 37 passing for 188 yards and three interceptions. His pick on Minnesota’s first drive of the game, was the first of his NFL career.

–RB Matt Asiata, the team’s leading rusher this season with 236 yards entering the game, carried only twice on Sunday for minus-5 yards. He caught one pass for 18 yards.