Inside The Vikings

Vikings' Isaiah Rodgers makes NFL history with unbelievable first half

In only two quarters, Rodgers has a stat line that has never been achieved in league history.
Will Ragatz|
Isaiah Rodgers just had an unbelievable half of football.
Isaiah Rodgers just had an unbelievable half of football. | Images Courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

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Minnesota Vikings

Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers just had the game of his life — and it's only halftime.

Rodgers was absolutely everywhere in the first half of Sunday's Vikings-Bengals game at U.S. Bank Stadium. In the first quarter, he caught a deflected pass and raced 87 yards up the sideline for the Vikings' longest pick-six since 2016. By itself, that one play would've made it quite the day for Rodgers. But he was far from done.

In the second quarter, Rodgers broke up a jump ball pass in the end zone to hold the Bengals for a field goal. On Cincinnati's ensuing possession, he made a truly incredible play. After a catch, Rodgers ripped the ball out of Noah Fant's grasp, scooped it up, and went 66 yards to the house for another touchdown.

That made Rodgers the first player in Vikings history with two defensive touchdowns in a game. And still, he wasn't done. Less than 30 seconds of game time later, Rodgers forced another fumble when he knocked the ball out of Ja'Marr Chase's hands. Jeff Okudah recovered.

Rodgers is the first player in NFL history with two forced fumbles, a fumble return touchdown, and an interception return touchdown in the same game. Once again, he did all of that by halftime.

The Vikings forced and recovered another fumble in the final minutes of the first half, giving them four takeaways in the first two quarters. Rodgers wasn't involved in that one.

With two Rodgers touchdowns, two touchdowns from the offense, and the longest field goal in franchise history from Will Reichard, the Vikings led the Bengals 34-3 at halftime.

One thing to watch in the second half: No player in NFL history has ever scored three defensive touchdowns in one game.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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