Los Angeles Rams at Minnesota Vikings: Second Quarter Open Thread

To start the NFL Game of the Week against the Los Angeles Rams, the Minnesota Vikings put their defense out on the field first, as they won the coin toss and chose to defer to the second half. The kickoff from Kai Forbath went into the end zone for a touchback, and Jared Goff led his offense out with a start at the 25-yard line. Los Angeles got a quick completion to Sammy Watkins on first down, and a pass from Goff to Robert Woods on third down moved the chains for the visitors. Goff then found Todd Gurley on a screen pass for another first down into Minnesota territory at the 48-yard line.

After a run by Gurley, Goff then found rookie Cooper Kupp for a big 23-yard gain down to the Minnesota 19-yard line, and the Rams found themselves in the red zone. A defensive holding penalty on Mackensie Alexander moved the sticks again, and gave the Rams a first-and-goal at the 9. Two plays later, the Rams got themselves into the end zone, courtesy of a six-yard run from Gurley for a touchdown. Greg Zuerlein added the extra point, and the Rams staked themselves to an early 7-0 lead.

Zeuerlein’s kickoff went through the end zone for a touchback, and Case Keenum led the Vikings’ offense onto the field to start at their own 25-yard line. A run by Latavius Murray and a scramble from Case Keenum set up a 3rd-and-1, but the Vikings were called for 12 men in the huddle to push the ball back to a 3rd-and-6. Keenum then found Jerick McKinnon to move the chains to the Vikings’ 39. A defensive holding penalty gave the Vikings another first down, and a short pass to Stefon Diggs moved the Vikings into Los Angeles territory at the 44.

Latavius Murray was then taken down for a short loss by Mark Barron, bringing up a 3rd-and-4. Keenum found Adam Thielen for a gain that was just short of the sticks, and the Vikings elected to go for it on 4th-and-1 at the Rams’ 41. The Vikings gave it to C.J. Ham, and he got the ball just over the line to keep the ball with the Vikings. Murray then broke out a very nice run to pick up 13 yards to the Rams’ 29. A swing pass to McKinnon was stopped for a big loss by Nickell Robey-Coleman to put the Vikings in a third and long, and a face mask penalty on the Vikings pushed the team out of field goal range. Ryan Quigley came in to punt the ball away, and Pharoh Cooper called for a fair catch at the Rams’ 10-yard line.

The Vikings forced a three-and-out, highlighted by a huge sack of Goff by Danielle Hunter on third down. Johnny Hekker punted it away for the Rams, and the return by Marcus Sherels and a penalty on the Rams gave the Vikings the ball at the Rams’ 30-yard line. Keenum then had a miraculous completion where he avoided a sack twice and found Adam Thielen for a first down to the Rams’ 18-yard line. Keenum then found Latavius Murray for a short gain, and the Vikings are looking at a 2nd-and-9 from the Rams’ 17-yard line.

After one quarter of play, the Vikings trail the Rams by a score of 7-0, but the Vikings are threatening. Can they get into the end zone and even things up?