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After playing their worst half of football of the 2017 season at the worst possible time, the Minnesota Vikings had to start the second half by kickoff of to the Philadelphia Eagles, trailing by a score of 24-7. Kai Forbath kicked the ball away for the Vikings, and it was taken by Kenjon Barner for a touchback.
Nick Foles and company started from their own 25 on their first possession of the second half. A couple of short completions to Torrey Smith netted a first down for the Eagles, and Jay Ajayi ran for a short gain. Foles then found Alshon Jeffery for another first down, and the Eagles were once again near midfield. Ajayi then took the ball into Minnesota territory, but LeGarrette Blount was dropped for a loss by Terence Newman and Linval Joseph. The Eagles then converted yet another third down on a short pass to Smith.
After the conversion, the Eagles likely put the game away when Foles handed the ball to Corey Clement, who pitched it back to Foles, and found Smith deep along the left sideline for a 41-yard touchdown. Elliott added the extra point, and the Eagles increased their lead to 31-7.
Elliott’s kick went for a touchback, starting the Vikings at their own 25. McKinnon caught another pass and picked up a first down on a screen, and McKinnon then took a draw to near the sticks. After McKinnon picked up a first down, Keenum then found Jarius Wright for a long gain down to the Philadelphia 17, a 34-yard pickup. Keenum then found McKinnon again to get the ball down to the 7, setting up first-and-goal. The Vikings got all the way to fourth-and-goal from the 7 after three incompletions, and it appeared that Keenum had a touchdown pass to Adam Thielen, but replay showed that the ball clearly hit the ground before Thielen brought it in.
The Eagles took over after the turnover and the Vikings’ defense allowed yet another third down conversion, as Foles found Zach Ertz to move the chains. The Vikings then forced another third down, and Foles converted again with a 42-yard pass to Nelson Agholor to put the ball at the Vikings’ 33. As we move to the fourth quarter, the Eagles are once again knocking on the door, as they’re looking at 2nd-and-goal from the Vikings’ 2-yard line.
It looks like we’re heading into the final fifteen minutes of the Minnesota Vikings’ 2017 season, folks, as they trail the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 31-7.