The Vikings nearly delivered a knockout before having to hold off a furious comeback attempt by the visiting Steelers on Thursday night. Down 29-0, the Steelers scored 28 of the game’s next 35 points and had a chance to tie the game in the game’s final play. With three seconds left and 12 yards from the end zone, Ben Roethlisberger found Pat Freiermuth in the middle of the end zone. But safety Harrison Smith was able to come from behind to punch the ball away, preserving the Vikings’ 36-28 victory.
Dalvin Cook spearheaded the Vikings’ strong start. Cook, who played despite dealing with a dislocated left shoulder, rushed for 205 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Pittsburgh’s comeback was led by Roethlisberger, who went 28 of 40 for 308 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.
Both teams missed field goals after moving the ball on their opening drives. But the Vikings cashed in on their next three drives that included touchdowns by Cook and receiver Justin Jefferson. Jefferson’s 14-yard touchdown catch opened the scoring. Cook’s 29-yard touchdown run stretched the Vikings’ lead to 16-0 with less than 10 minutes left in the first half. Cook gave Minnesota a 23-0 halftime lead on his 7-yard touchdown run with 2:20 left until halftime.
Cook gashed the Steelers to the tune of 153 yards on just 14 carries during the game’s first 30 minutes. The two-time Pro Bowl running back accounted for more than half of Minnesota’s 300 total yards during the first half. Minnesota’s defense bewildered a Pittsburgh offense that gained just 66 yards on 26 plays during the first half. The Vikings’ defense recorded four sacks of Ben Roethlisberger in the first half while holding Najee Harris to just 17 yards on seven carries.
The score was 29-0 before the Steelers scored their first points of the game on Harris’ 3-yard touchdown catch from Roethlisberger with 2:11 left in the third quarter. Harris found the end zone less than three minutes later on a 1-yard run that was set up Ahkello Witherspoon’s interception of Cousins. After a quick three-and-out by the Vikings’ offense, the Steelers scored their third unanswered touchdown when James Washington pulled down a 30-yard strike from Roethlisberger. It remained a two-score game, however, when the Steelers’ offense came up short on their two-point try.
Minnesota responded with K.J. Osborn’s 62-yard touchdown grab that extended the Vikings’ lead to 16 points. Cousins, who received stellar protection on the play, lofted a perfect pass to Osborn, who outmuscled Cam Sutton for the ball before racing into the end zone.
Pittsburgh refused to go away, however, as Witherspoon’s second pick on Minnesota’s ensuing possession set up Roethlisberger’s touchdown pass to Freiermuth. The Steelers’ defense then forced a punt before Pittsburgh moved from their own two to the Vikings’ 12-yard line. The Vikings made sure the Steelers wouldn’t get any closer when Harrison jarred the ball loose on the game’s final play.
We’ll have more on this game in a moment, but in the meantime, check out our live blog below to-live the action in real time.