Although both teams' offensive struggles continued, a pair of controversial calls swung the game towards the Vikings' favor. Calvin Johnson, after catching an Orlovsky pass, but fumbled the ball after Darren Sharper and Ben Leber tackled him, and Leber recovered. Marinelli challenged the ruling, trying to argue that Johnson was down before the ball came loose, but upon review the play stood as called. The Lions held a glimmer of hope as the ensuing Vikings drive ended when Jared DeVries blocked a Ryan Longwell field goal. However, towards the end of the game, in a pivotal Vikings drive, after a Frerotte pass to Aundrae Allison went incomplete, Lions cornerback Leigh Bodden was called for pass interference, though his contact with Allison appeared to be minimal. The penalty placed the ball on the Lions' 26 yard line, and with time expiring, Longwell kicked a game-winning go-ahead 26-yard field goal.
