The Minnesota Vikings took their last chance in the fight for the playoffs and won the Thursday Night Game in week 14 against the Pittsburgh Steelers 36:28. Before the break, the hosts literally overran the guests who woke up too late with their run game and achieved some records. In the end, however, they had to shake until the last second.
The game started sobering for both teams. The Vikings were the first to have the ball and ended up with no points. First wide receiver Justin Jefferson dropped a deep shot of Kirk Cousins in the end zone, then kicker Greg Joseph missed a field goal attempt from 53 yards.
In return, Pittsburgh also got into the opposing half, but Chris Boswell also missed a field goal attempt from 49 yards. Then the Vikings quickly found their way into the game.
Dalvin Cook, surprisingly quick to return from his shoulder injury, literally went ahead, getting his team into position with a 30-yard run before cousins found Jefferson for a 14-yard touchdown pass to play action on a deep crossing route. And after further defensive stops, Joseph hit from 38 yards before Cook himself added two touchdown runs before the break. The Steelers, on the other hand, didn’t succeed at all until the break – to top it off, they also lost superstar edge rusher TJ Watt with a groin injury. Break score: 23-0 Minnesota.
Vikings vs. Steelers: Pittsburgh wakes up late in the third quarter
After the break everything went on for the Vikings. Joseph scored two more field goals, one of them after an interception from Bashaud Breeland, in which wide receiver Diontae Johnson shone with passivity.
But then the Steelers woke up and put down a drive that eventually got them on the scoreboard. In the end, Ben Roethlisberger found Najee Harris on a swing route in the end zone for a 3 yard touchdown pass.
As a result, the Steelers came back to the ball after an interception from Ahkello Witherspoon. Before that, linebackers Devin Bush and Justin Jefferson had their hands on the ball. A little later, Pittsburgh was allowed to cheer again at the start of the fourth quarter – this time Harris ran into the end zone at 14:29 from the guests’ point of view.
But that wasn’t enough, because after another 3-and-out by the Vikings, Roethlisberger hit the gas pedal. With just three moves, he led his team to the next touchdown! After a 37-yard pass to Johnson, he found James Washington over the middle for a 30-yard touchdown pass. the subsequent 2-point conversion failed, leaving Minnesota at 29:20 with twelve minutes to go.
After that, however, the Vikings struck back. After a long-awaited first down by Cook, Cousins fired a 62-yard touchdown pass to KJ Osborn, who prevailed in the infight with cornerback Cameron Sutton. Meanwhile, Osborn had taken the place of the injured Adam Thielen. The Vikings then managed a defensive stop and they were about to downplay the clock afterwards. But then Cousins threw his second pick to Witherspoon, who carried the ball back to the red zone. Pittsburgh said thank you and Roethlisberger threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to tight end Pat Freiermuth. The 2-point conversion that followed was – Roethlisberger on Johnson – and the home side’s lead melted to one score four minutes before the end.
Minnesota then took just under two minutes from the clock, but eventually had to punt again. Without timeouts, the Steelers then started playing their own 3 with 2:16 minutes. They then marched deep into the red zone, but Roethlisberger’s last pass into the end zone was canceled by Harrison Smith and Xavier Woods. The decision.
Minnesota Vikings (6-7) – Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6-1)
Result: 36:28 (6: 0, 17: 0, 6: 7, 7:21) BOXSCORE
Vikings vs. Steelers – the most important statistics
-
The Vikings reached 176 rushing yards before break, the most half-time in the NFL that season.
-
In the first quarter alone, the Vikings ran 90 yards – the most rushing yards that Pittsburgh has allowed in the first quarter of a game since 2013 (130 against the Raiders)
-
Dalvin Cook, in turn, scored 153 rushing yards before break – a new franchise record for rushing yards in the first half of a game.