Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings: Second Quarter Open Thread

The Minnesota Vikings (for the first time this season) won the coin toss to start a game, and they deferred to the second half, meaning that the Detroit Lions received the ball first in this NFC North matchup. After a Blair Walsh touchback, the Lions got a couple of quick first downs to start the drive, and quickly found themselves knocking on the door after a screen pass from Matthew Stafford to Theo Riddick picked up 41 yards down to the Minnesota 9-yard line. The drive ended with the Lions in the end zone, as Stafford found Riddick for a 9-yard touchdown pass that gave the Lions a 7-0 lead less than four minutes into the contest.

The Lions squibbed the ensuing kickoff so they could avoid Cordarrelle Patterson, and that allowed the Vikings to start with good field position at their own 41-yard line. Jerick McKinnon, the rookie out of Georgia Southern, got the start at running back, and immediately made an impact with a nice 10-yard run and a great blitz pickup that allowed Teddy Bridgewater to scramble into Detroit territory for a first down. McKinnon got a couple more carries and a first down, and then an end around to Jarius Wright picked up 20 more yards to put the Vikings down to the Detroit 15-yard line. Unfortunately, Bridgewater picked a bad time to throw his first NFL interception, as he threw a pass that was picked by Glover Quin in the end zone to stop the Minnesota drive. He was trying to get the ball to Patterson and simply didn't see Quin.

The Lions took over at their own 18 on their next drive, and the Lions got a couple of first downs before their drive stalled at their own 40-yard line. Sam Martin's punt was taken out to the 30 by Marcus Sherels, but a penalty on Antone Exum pushed it back to the Minnesota 20-yard line.

The Vikings could only manage a three-and-out on their next drive, ending with Bridgewater getting sacked by Nick Fairley. The subsequent Jeff Locke punt allowed the Lions to start their next drive from their own 45-yard line, and they got into Minnesota territory in short order on a pass from Stafford to Golden Tate. Detroit's drive stalled, however, and as we move to the second quarter of play, the Lions are looking at a 4th-and-2 from the Minnesota 32-yard line.

The Minnesota Vikings trail the Detroit Lions, 7-0, after one quarter of play at TCF Bank Stadium. Can the Vikings get back into the win column in this one?