Minnesota Vikings at Oakland Raiders: Fourth Quarter Open Thread

After deferring the coin toss to start the game, the Oakland Raiders got to receive the second half kickoff from the Minnesota Vikings, with the purple and gold holding a 20-14 lead. The kick from Blair Walsh resulted in a touchback, and the Raiders started out at their own 20-yard line. Everson Griffen managed to get a sack of Derek Carr early in the drive, but Carr then found Michael Crabtree to convert on third down. Carr and Crabtree hooked up again to convert another third down as the Raiders approached midfield. The Vikings then, finally, got the stop thanks to a couple of very nice pass breakups by Terence Newman, who almost had his second pick of the afternoon. Marquette King got away a great punt, and the Raiders downed the ball at the Minnesota 3-yard line. Mike Zimmer threw the challenge flag, arguing that the Raiders had pushed the ball into the end zone, but the ruling on the field stood.

The Vikings got themselves a first down after a series of carries by Adrian Peterson to get themselves out of the hole, but not much farther as they only got to their own 22-yard line. The Vikings brought in Jeff Locke, and he boomed one 53 yards to flip the field position a little bit. Oakland started their next drive at their own 25-yard line.

Oakland managed to get the ball to midfield, but then Carr was sacked. . .or more accurately, engulfed. . .by Linval Joseph for a ten-yard loss on a sack. The Raiders were forced to punt the ball away, and after a short return by Marcus Sherels, the Vikings started out at their own 19-yard line.

As we head to the fourth quarter of play, the Vikings are currently looking at a 1st-and-10 from their own 43-yard line after a big 18-yard scramble by Bridgewater on third down.

After a scoreless third quarter of play, the Minnesota Vikings continue to hold a 20-14 lead over the Oakland Raiders heading into the final quarter of play. Can the purple and gold hold on for fifteen more minutes and walk out of the O.co Coliseum with their fifth consecutive win and their first victory in Oakland since 1996?