Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions: Fourth Quarter Open Thread

Trailing the Detroit Lions by a score of 10-7 coming out of the locker room at halftime, the Minnesota Vikings got the ball first in the second half. The kickoff from Sam Martin went through the end zone for a touchback, and the Vikings got to start at their own 25.

Sam Bradford found Adam Thielen for a 10-yard gain and a first down on the Vikings' first play, but that was negated by the Vikings' first penalty of the game, a holding call on Kyle Rudolph. Minnesota couldn't recover from there, as they were forced to call on Jeff Locke to punt the ball away on their first possession. Locke did his job again, pinning the Lions deep on a punt that Andre Roberts could only return to the Detroit 13-yard line for their first possession of the second half.

Detroit couldn't generate anything on their first drive, thanks in large part to the first sack of the afternoon, collected by Anthony Barr. Sam Martin came on to punt the ball away, and the Vikings got decent field position on the play with Adam Thielen calling for the fair catch at the Minnesota 39.

Jerick McKinnon flipped the field quickly, as Sam Bradford found him on a checkdown on Minnesota's first play. . .easy to find since nobody was on McKinnon's side of the field. . .and "Jet" took it 41 yards to the Detroit 20. Unfortunately, the Vikings couldn't convert a third down on the series, and had to call on Kai Forbath for a 30-yard field goal attempt. Forbath made himself 2-for-2 on field goals as a Viking, hitting the field goal and tying things at 10-10 with seven minutes left in the quarter.

Andre Roberts returned the kickoff by Forbath to the Detroit 22-yard line, and the Lions got a quick first down on a 10-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Anquan Boldin. Detroit couldn't pick up another first down, though, and brought Martin on to punt it away again. Adam Thielen attempted to return the punt, but couldn't get anything going as he was dropped at the Minnesota 14-yard line.

A couple of run plays, including a Wildcat run by McKinnon, picked up a first down for Minnesota to get things started. The Vikings then converted their first third down of the day, as Bradford found Cordarrelle Patterson for a 10-yard gain to the Minnesota 40 to move the sticks. A run by Matt Asiata and a pass to Adam Thielen moved the Vikings into Detroit territory at the 47. Patterson then took a handoff on a reverse and motored his way down to the 22 yard line, and the Vikings were threatening once again. Matt Asiata hammered the ball down to the 10-yard line on a 15-yard carry, and as we move to the fourth quarter of play, the Vikings are looking at a 1st-and-goal from their own 10.

Fifteen minutes remaining in the battle for first place in the NFC North, and the score is tied at 10-10. Can the Vikings do what it takes to win in the final quarter and regain first place?