Vikings Stun 49ers on MNF Behind Cousins, Addison, Bynum
That just happened.
Jordan Addison just announced himself to the country with a breakout game in primetime. Kirk Cousins, whose contract is up after the season, just played one of the best games he's played in six years with the Vikings. Cam Bynum just picked off Brock Purdy twice in the fourth quarter. The Vikings just beat one of the best teams in the NFL, getting their season back on track ahead of a trip to Green Bay next weekend.
With Cousins leading the way, Kevin O'Connell's offense racked up 452 yards against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The Vikings played extremely well on that side of the ball, but couldn't put the 49ers away until Bynum's two late interceptions marked the second and third takeaways of the night for Brian Flores' defense.
This was a complementary football game from the Vikings and their best all-around performance of the season by far. The result was a 22-17 win over the 49ers that brings the record to 3-4. The season is back on, folks.
Cousins was incredible, going 35 of 45 for 378 yards and two touchdowns. After an early interception, he was nearly flawless. Both scores went to Addison, whose 123 yards smashed his previous career high.
T.J. Hockenson and Brandon Powell also came up big for the Vikings, who were once again playing without Justin Jefferson. And it was the defense — and Bynum, specifically — that came through in the end.
The Vikings played their best half of the season in the game's opening 30 minutes, but they also left some points on the table.
The game began with dueling takeaways. Incredibly, the Vikings turned the ball over on their opening drive for the fourth time in seven games. Addison got out-muscled by Charvarius Ward on a slant route and Cousins oddly decided to throw it anyways, resulting in an interception. Five plays later, the Vikings' defense bailed out their offense when Harrison Smith forced a McCaffrey fumble and Dean Lowry recovered it.
Then Cousins and company went to work, driving 89 yards on ten plays and scoring a touchdown in the first quarter for the first time all season. The Vikings converted a pair of third downs, with the second coming when Cousins hit Addison in the end zone for the first of his two receiving touchdowns. It was quite the drive for Minnesota's offensive line, both in the run and pass game.
After a missed field goal by the 49ers, the Vikings threatened to go up by two touchdowns when Cam Akers took a screen pass and broke multiple tackles on his way to the two yard-line. But as has been the case all season, the Vikings just can't seem to convert near the goal line. Cousins narrowly missed Addison in the corner of the end zone on second down and the Vikings settled for a chip shot field goal to go up 10-0.
The 49ers responded with a McCaffrey touchdown. Then, with just 16 seconds left before halftime, Addison pulled off a Houdini move on his second touchdown of the day. Greg Joseph missed the extra point, so the Vikings took a 16-7 lead into the break.
In the third quarter, the Vikings once again left points on the board. This time, they had first and goal from the one and couldn't score. They extended their lead to 19-7, but all the points they were leaving on the field threatened to ruin an otherwise fantastic offensive performance without their best player — especially when the 49ers instantly answered with another McCaffrey touchdown to cut the deficit to five.
In the end, Bynum's interceptions were the difference. The 49ers twice had the ball, down 22-17, when Purdy's passes over the middle wound up in the hands of No. 24.
The first one wasn't enough, as Joseph missed a field goal to give the 49ers another chance. The second one sealed the deal on the Vikings' biggest win of the year.
Next up: The Packers at Lambeau Field on Sunday.
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