Vikings Bounce Back

The Vikings are back in the win column for the first time since Oct. 9, but it took until the final minute for Minnesota to close out Arizona with a 30-24 victory on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.

The Vikings (6-4) held the Cardinals (4-5-1) off the scoreboard for the final 7:24 of the game by turning up the pressure on Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer.

Danielle Hunter recorded two sacks, including one on the Cardinals final offensive play, and teamed with Brian Robison and Everson Griffen to force Palmer into an intentional grounding penalty and punt on a fourth-and-41 with 4:07 remaining.

Penalties prevented the Vikings offense from salting away the game, but Jeff Locke uncorked a career-best 72 yard punt, from his own 15 to the Arizona 13.

Rather than play prevent defense, Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer dialed up a blitz by Harrison Smiththat resulted in a sack. Tom Johnson, however was flagged for roughing the passer on an incompletion on fourth-and-19. The Vikings, however, forced a scramble by Palmer, two incompletions and a short pass to David Johnson.

Hunter sacked Palmer with 37 seconds remaining.

The Vikings limited the Cardinals to 155 net passing yards, totaled four sacks, and Xavier Rhodesrecorded his first two interception game.

Rhodes returned the first 100 yards for a touchdown, setting a Vikings franchise record for longest pick 6 ever to give the Vikings a 20-10 lead in the second quarter.

Cordarrelle Patterson returned the opening kickoff of the second half 104 yards for a touchdown. It was the fifth of his career, tying Percy Harvin’s franchise record, and giving the Vikings two plays of 100 or more yards in one game for the first time in franchise history.

Sam Bradford completed 20 of 28 passes for 169 yards with one touchdown for a passer rating of 98.7. Adam Thielen led the Vikings with 65 receiving yards and a touchdown, followed by 53 by Patterson.

Jerick McKinnon rushed 16 times for 44 yards, and Matt Asiata added 20 yards on five carries, including a touchdown.

Minnesota capitalized on good starting field position (the Arizona 44-yard line) by blending sharp passes by Bradford with a pair of 7-yard runs by McKinnon. The Vikings overcame a hands-to-the-face penalty against Jeremiah Sirles that erased a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rudolph when Bradford connected with Thielen for a 16-yard touchdown.

Thielen secured the ball, tapped his first foot in the green and his second foot in the purple end zone. The artful reception that beat Justin Bethel in man-to-man coverage was initially ruled an incompletion, but officials confirmed it was a touchdown after Minnesota challenged.

Arizona, however, answered with a touchdown drive to tie the game, marching 75 yards on 11 plays with passes of 16 to Larry Fitzgerald, 22 to Daniel Fells and 10 to Michael Floyd. Johnson capped the drive with a 1-yard power run.

The Cardinals took a 10-7 lead on a 34-yard field goal by Chandler Catanzaro, capping a drive that began at the Arizona 6.

The Vikings took a 13-7 lead on a 2-yard run by Matt Asiata with 7:16 left in the first half. Minnesota converted third-and-1 with a pass to Cordarrelle Patterson on a shallow crossing route for a gain of 30.

The Vikings then went to the Wildcat formation on consecutive plays, with McKinnon taking a direct snap and rushing for 5. The running back took another direct snap and handed off to Patterson on a sweep. The receiver lateralled the ball back to Bradford, who then fired down the field toward Thielen, drawing a pass interference penalty of 29 yards.

Kai Forbath’s second extra point attempt as a Viking was blocked, however. Forbath hit the other three PATs and was good from 27 yards on his first field goal.

The Cardinals tried to reclaim the lead after a 48-yard kickoff return by Brittan Golden and had a third-and-goal from the 9. Palmer tried to hit John Brown in the front left corner of the end zone, but Rhodes corralled it at the goal line and raced 100 yards for a touchdown and a 20-10 lead with 3:07 left in the first half.

Arizona, however, bounced back with a 29-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to Jermaine Gresham to make it 20-17 with 50 seconds left in the first half.