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The Minnesota Vikings will be going into the bye week with a record of 4-5, as they held on to win a wild one over the Washington Redskins at TCF Bank Stadium, 29-26.
The first half of the game was relatively uneventful. The Redskins got out to an early 10-0 lead thanks to a Kai Forbath field goal and a 14-yard touchdown run by Alfred Morris. Then, towards the end of the first half after the Vikings failed to convert on a fourth down, Robert Griffin III was intercepted by Captain Munnerlyn at the Washington 48-yard line. The Vikings cashed in on the turnover, with Teddy Bridgewater finding Chase Ford from 20 yards out to cut the deficit to 10-7 going into halftime.
Things picked up in the second half, as the teams kept trading punches. The Vikings took the lead on a Matt Asiata 1-yard touchdown, putting them up 14-10. The Redskins then answered back with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Griffin to DeSean Jackson to re-take the lead at 17-14. The Redskins added another field goal by Forbath in the third quarter to make the score 20-14 going into the final fifteen minutes.
Asiata found the end zone again early in the fourth quarter, this time from seven yards out. . .the longest touchdown run of his career. . .to make the score 21-20. Not to be outdone, the Redskins marched down the field again, with Morris scoring from two yards out. The Redskins went for the two-point conversion, only to see Griffin stripped by Anthony Barr, holding their lead at 26-21.
Right after Asiata's second touchdown, I tweeted this.
Remember, Asiata scores touchdowns in threes. Means he's got one more in him today. #hopefully #Vikings
— The Daily Norseman (@DailyNorseman) November 2, 2014
And I was proven to be a bit of a prophet, as the Vikings pushed down the field again, with Asiata plowing over for another 1-yard touchdown. Minnesota went for the two-point conversion, and Asiata pushed it across to give the Vikings a 29-26 lead. That's how it ended, and the Vikings go into their bye with a two-game winning streak and a record of 4-5.
Washington has their bye next week as well, and they drop to 3-6 on the season.
Bridgewater finished his afternoon completing 26-of-42 passes for 268 yards, a touchdown, and. . .most importantly. . .no turnovers. Jerick McKinnon was the leading rusher yardage-wise, with 14 carries for 54 yards, but Asiata vultured (fantasy football term) three touchdowns on the afternoon, despite averaging less than three yards per carry (10 carries, 26 yards). Greg Jennings was the leading receiver with six grabs for 76 yards, and Chase Ford chipped in with five catches for 66 yards and a score.
For the Redskins, RGIII 18-of-28 passes for 251 yards, one touchdown, and the very big interception in his first action since Week 2. Alfred Morris carried 19 times for 92 yards and two scores, and DeSean Jackson blistered the Vikings for 120 yards and a touchdown on just four catches.
The Minnesota Vikings' defense continued bringing the heat this week, as they sacked Griffin five times. Everson Griffen, Anthony Barr, Chad Greenway, and Brian Robison collected one sack each, and Sharrif Floyd and Tom Johnson split a sack of Griffin on the game's final drive.
Thank you to everybody that came along for the ride with us for the Minnesota Vikings' 29-26 victory over the Washington Redskins. We'll have more on this game over the next day or two.