Vikings rebound, win shootout over New England
Kirk Cousins threw for 299 yards and three touchdowns, the last a go-ahead score to
Adam Thielen in the fourth quarter to push the Minnesota Vikings past the New England Patriots 33-26 on Thursday night.
Justin Jefferson had 139 yards and a touchdown as the Vikings (9-2) delivered precisely the clutch performance against a formidable defense they needed to bounce back from a blowout loss to Dallas.
Mac Jones passed for a career-high 382 yards and two scores to snap a lagging offense to life for the Patriots (6-5), but they ran out of steam down the stretch. Their fourth quarter included two three-and-out punts, a turnover on downs at the Minnesota 39 and a desperation last drive that went nowhere.
Jones found Hunter Henry for a wide-open 37-yard touchdown pass to start the second half for a 23-16 lead. Kene Nwangwu scored on a 97-yard kickoff return to strike right back for the Vikings.
Jones appeared to hit his tight end for a second score with a twisting catch at the goal line that was ruled a touchdown on the field. The replay reversal — Henry bobbled the ball as he went to the ground — forced the Patriots to settle for Nick Folk’s fourth field goal of the game late in the third quarter.
Another vital call went the Vikings way a few minutes later when Pierre Strong Jr. was called for running into punter Ryan Wright. With a fresh set of downs, Cousins and the Vikings cruised up the field for the go-ahead touchdown.
Jefferson had his footprints all over this game from the start, when his 3-yard reception on a crossing route in the end zone capped the opening drive. He made catch after improbable catch in tight coverage, including a 36yard grab on a go route right before he was sandwiched by Jones and Devin Mccourty to set up Thielen’s touchdown.
Jefferson set the NFL record for most receiving yards in a player’s first three seasons to pass Randy Moss. Jefferson has hit the 100-yard mark in 21 of 44 career games.
With standout left tackle Christian Darrisaw sidelined by a concussion, the Vikings gave backup Blake Brandel plenty of extra help against NFL sack leader Matt Judon and put Cousins in far more favorable situations with shorter drops and quicker throws. The Vikings had 231 yards in the first half, more than the Patriots allowed in the previous two games combined.