EAGAN, Minn. — Andrew Van Ginkel lined up on the left edge for a second-down rush for Minnesota late in the second quarter in Detroit, took his first steps toward the backfield, and suddenly found himself flat on the turf after being knocked down by a Lions wide receiver running a crossing route.

The blind side hit by Kalif Raymond — which Van Ginkel and his Vikings teammates said was dangerous in their plea to the NFL to clarify such blocks as illegal — would have rendered most players out of commission for the play.

But despite being on his back facing away from Lions quarterback Jared Goff, Van Ginkel had the wherewithal to watch the direction the linemen were moving, recognize the screen, and leap up in a Frankenstein-like move to grab running back Jahmyr Gibbs as soon as Goff tossed

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