Las Vegas Raiders Down Minnesota Vikings, 26-20, to Go 2-0
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LAS VEGAS, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders are 2-0, and while this is only preseason, winning always beats losing.
Quarterback Jarrett Stidham ran for a touchdown, fellow quarterback Nick Mullens passed for another, and then the Raiders turned things over to running back Brittain Brown and held off the Minnesota Vikings, 26-20, on Sunday before an estimated 45,000 fans at Allegiant Stadium.
The Silver and Black opened the NFL season 10 days earlier by dominating the Jacksonville Jaguars, 27-11, 10 days earlier in the annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
For the second straight week, the Raiders scored first and never trailed after Daniel Carlson kicked the first of his two field goals from 32 yards on the Silver and Black’s first series of the game with 12:35 remaining in the first quarter.
The reliable Carlson surprisingly missed an extra point kick but added a 47-yard field goal to give Las Vegas a 26-13 lead with 6:38 left in the game, but the Vikings made it close at the finish.
Quarterback Kellen Mond led Minnesota 75 yards in seven plays to cut the gap to the final margin with a 20-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Albert Wilson with 3:44 remaining. Mond completed 9-of-14 passes for 119 yards and hit Wilson, whose only two receptions went for scores, with a two-yard TD pass in the third quarter.
Rookie quarterback Chase Garbers, who completed 2-of-3 passes for 19 yards, and the Raiders ran out the last 3:44, as Garbers handed the ball to Brown six times for 27 yards, but the Vikings nearly got the ball back when Brown fumbled on the play before the two-minute warning.
However, Raiders tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr., son of the great former fullback for the Silver and Black, recovered the ball at the bottom of a big pile, and after two more runs by Brown, Garbers took a knee to run out the clock.
Brown led the Raiders with 54 yards on 14 carries, a 3.9-yard average even though the Vikings knew what was coming near the end, and he also scored on a one-yard run to give Las Vegas a 23-13 lead with 13:41 left in the game.
Running back Austin Walter added 30 yards on seven carries, while Stidham scrambled for 16 yards on 14 carries, including a four-yard scoring run on the first play of the second quarter to make it 10-0.
Stidham, who also ran 12 yards for a touchdown against Jacksonville, completed 10-of-15 passes for 68 yards and for the second straight game did not throw a touchdown or an interception, while Mullens completed 7-of-9 for 94 yards and a touchdown without an interception as the Raiders did not have a turnover for the second straight game.
About the only negative was that the Silver and Black allowed four more sacks after giving up five to the Jaguars.
Wide receiver D.J. Turner had three receptions for 58 yards, including a brilliant 34-yard touchdown from Mullens on a crossing pattern, while wide receiver Keenan Allen caught four balls for 26 yards and wide receiver Demarcus Allen had two for 28.
The Raiders had 300 total yards to 298 for the Vikings, who managed only 14 in the first quarter, with Las Vegas rushing for 140 to 115 for Minnesota, who outgained the Silver and Black, 183-160, through the air.
Las Vegas honored the history of The Raiderettes, “Football’s Fabulous Females,” with dancers from the history of the unit that dates to 1961, performing on the field.
The Raiders will hit the road to play their third preseason game next Saturday at 4 p.m. (PST) against the Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, before their fourth and final one versus the New England Patriots at 5:15 p.m. (PDT) on Friday, Aug. 26, back at Allegiant Stadium.
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