Recap: Minnesota vs. Detroit
Sports Network | October 12, 2008
Minneapolis, MN (Sports Network) - Ryan Longwell's 26-yard field goal with just nine seconds to play led Minnesota to another late victory as the Vikings edged the Detroit Lions, 12-10.
Last week, Longwell hit a 30-yard field goal with 13 seconds to play to lead the Vikings to a 30-27 win over New Orleans, and again he was called on late to win the game.
Minnesota started with the ball at its own 20 and on a 2nd-and-20 play, benefited from a questionable pass interference call on Leigh Bodden that moved the ball 42 yards to the Detroit 26-yard-line. The team then rushed the ball four straight times to get into field goal range and Longwell's kick was true to give the Vikings the win.
Gus Frerotte went 18-for-33 with 296 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Vikings (3-3), who have won their past two games. Bernard Berrian had five catches for 131 yards and a score.
Adrian Peterson rushed the ball 25 times for 111 yards for Minnesota, which has won 11 straight at home against Detroit and 12 of the past 13 overall.
Dan Orlovsky, making his first career start in place of an injured Jon Kitna, went 12-for-21 with 150 yards and a score while Kevin Smith added 62 yards on the ground for the Lions (0-5), who have lost six straight games dating back to last season.
Calvin Johnson had four catches for 85 yards and a score for Detroit, which has not won in Minnesota since 1997.
Holding a 3-2 lead to start the third quarter, Detroit began the frame with the ball and extended its lead.
The Lions used the run on the first several plays to help get the ball past midfield. On 3rd-and-19, Orlovsky hit a wide open Johnson for a 37-yard play. Two plays later, Orlovsky connected with Johnson in the right flat and the receiver ran down the right sideline and leaped into the end zone for a 12- yard score and a 10-2 lead with 8:22 left in the third.
Minnesota, though, answered later in the quarter. Detroit had picked off Frerotte, but the defense held and forced a punt. On the first ensuing play, Frerotte hit Berrian on a short pass over the middle. Berrian broke one tackle, avoided another defender and raced down the left side into the end zone on an 86-yard score to make it a 10-9 game with 4:33 left in the third.
After Peterson fumbled for the second time in the game early in the fourth, Minnesota got the ball right back as Johnson fumbled the ball after a catch at the Minnesota 30.
The Vikings drove down to the Detroit 20-yard-line and Longwell lined up for a 38-yard attempt, but it was blocked and Detroit held on to its one-point lead with around 10 minutes to play.
Both offenses had trouble in the first quarter and the only points in the frame came on a safety.
Minnesota was threatening as the team drove down to the Detroit 11, but on 3rd-and-1 Peterson fumbled and Detroit recovered the ball at its own one-yard- line.
However, Orlovsky threw two straight incompletions and on third down, he was under pressure and stepped out of bounds in the end zone to give Minnesota a safety and a 2-0 lead with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.
The offenses continued to sputter in the second quarter and the Lions got the only points of the frame to take the lead into the locker room. Starting with the ball at their own 31 with under five minutes left, a 50-yard run through the left side by Smith got the ball to the Minnesota 12. However, the Lions were unable to advance any further and, after an 11-yard sack, Jason Hanson connected on a 40-yard field goal with 1:56 left to give the Lions a 3-2 advantage.
The Lions had only four sacks all season coming into the game and finished this contest with five sacks...Kevin Williams had four of Minnesota's six sacks.Detroit plays at Houston next Sunday...The Vikings play at Chicago next Sunday...The interception of Frerotte was Detroit's first INT this season...Rudi Johnson finished the game with 38 yards on 17 carries for Detroit...Bobby Wade had four catches for 71 yards for the Vikings...Kitna had made 36 straight starts.
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