Vikings survive Jets with 4th-down stops to reach 10 wins
Backs against the wall, the Minnesota Vikings came up with a goal-line stand to help secure a 27-22 victory over the New York Jets. The win puts the Vikings at 10-2 and within a win next week in Detroit from clinching the NFC North.
Minnesota led 27-22 with the Jets facing a fourth-and-10 from the Vikings 47-yard line and New York quarterback Mike White fired a strike over the middle to Corey Davis for a first down. The Jets marched all the way to the Minnesota 1-yard line before White's fourth-down pass to Braxton Berrios was dropped in the end zone.
The Jets got one final chance, starting from the Vikings 43. They moved to the Minnesota 19 and before White was intercepted on a fourth-down pass at the goal line by Camryn Bynum. Game over.
Minnesota, on touchdown runs by Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison, built a 20-3 lead late in the first half before Greg Zeurlein connected on a 60-yard field goal – a franchise record for the Jets – to make it a 20-6 game at the half.
Minnesota netted just 10 yards in the third quarter while the Jets kicked three straight field goals to cut the lead to 20-15 with 12:30 left in the game.
The Vikings woke up after that, capping a seven-play, 75-yard drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Kirk Cousins to Justin Jefferson. Jefferson finished the day with seven receptions for 45 yards and the one touchdown, which proved to be the decisive score.
New York bounced back, getting deep into Minnesota territory after a 48-yard run by backup running back Zonovan Knight. Then on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line, White was shoved across the goal line, with the touchdown coming after the original call on the field was overturned via replay.
Kirk Cousins was not at his best. He missed high on multiple throws, including a deep ball to a wide open T.J. Hockenson in the third quarter that would've put Minnesota deep into New York territory, perhaps even going all the way for a touchdown if the connection was made in stride.
Cousins finished 21-of-35 for 174 yards and one touchdown.
The Lions beat the Jaguars 40-14, so for Minnesota to clinch the NFC North they'll have to beat Detroit next Sunday or wait until later in December.
