Keenum-led Vikings beat Lions, add to division lead
DETROIT — Case Keenum threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score all in the first half to give the Minnesota Vikings a double-digit lead and they went on to beat the Detroit Lions 30-23 Thursday.
The Vikings (9-2) took a huge step toward winning the NFC North, taking a three-game lead over the secondplace Lions.
Detroit (6-5) made mistakes in every phase of the game and Minnesota took advantage.
Keenum was 21 of 30 for 282 yards with both TD passes to Kyle Rudolph that gave the Vikings a 20-3 lead late in the second quarter.
The Lions rallied to pull within four points early in the fourth quarter on Matthew Stafford’s second TD pass to Marvin Jones.
Xavier Rhodes ended Detroit’s comeback hopes with an interception at the Detroit 37 late in the game.
Detroit’s Darius Slay blocked a field goal with 1:15 left and teammate Nevin Lawson recovered the ball and returned it 77 yards for an apparent TD, but it was negated by Slay being offside and that quieted a roaring crowd.
Minnesota’s Adam Thielen had eight receptions for 89 yards and Everson Griffen had two sacks, tying his career high with 12. Philip Rivers and the Los Angeles Chargers are on the move. Dak Prescott and the Dallas Cowboys are fading fast. Rivers threw for 434 yards and three touchdowns in his first Thanksgiving game in his 14th season and the Chargers beat the fading Cowboys. Desmond King returned an interception 90 yards for the punctuating touchdown as the Chargers (5-6) moved within 1½ games of AFC Westleading Kansas City after starting 0-4 while the The defending NFC East champion Cowboys (5-6) lost their third straight by at least 20 points, all without star running back Ezekiel Elliott, in a damaging defeat for their fading playoff hopes. Dallas, playing its 50th Thanksgiving game, finally ended a touchdown drought at a team-record 10 quarters on Rod Smith’s 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter. Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes to compensate for a pick-6, and host Washington beat New York on a drab fi eld in a drab game between two injurydepleted teams that did not look ready for prime time. The fi rst half, in particular, was devoid of highlights: The NFC East rivals combined for nine punts and only six points. But Cousins led Washington (5-6) on two TD drives in the second half, connecting with Jamison Crowder on a 15-yarder in the third quarter that broke a 3- all tie, and with Josh Doctson on a 14-yarder with 3 ½ minutes remaining in the game. In the second half, the Giants (2-9) had one possession end with an interception by Eli Manning, four end with punts and another when they turned the ball over on downs.