Kirk Cousins connected with K.J. Osborn on a 28-yard touchdown pass with 45 seconds left as the host Minnesota Vikings rallied for a 28-24 victory over the Detroit Lions on Sunday in Minneapolis.
Cousins completed 24 of 41 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Osborn had five receptions for 73 yards for the Vikings (2-1).
Dalvin Cook rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries but suffered a shoulder injury late in the third quarter and did not return.
Jamaal Williams carried 20 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns for Detroit (1-2). Jared Goff completed 25 of 41 passes for 277 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Detroit’s Austin Seibert missed a 54-yard field goal with 1:10 left, leading to the Vikings’ winning drive that went 56 yards on just three plays. Josh Metellus picked off Goff’s desperation heave with nine seconds left.
Both teams missed long field goal attempts during their opening possessions. On its next drive, Detroit converted a fourth down on a 30-yard pass from Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown. Williams scored on a 2-yard run on the next play.
The Lions converted two more fourth-down situations during their next possession. They finished off the 12-play, 70-yard drive with Goff’s 5-yard pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson.
A pass interference call against Detroit helped the Vikings score their first touchdown. Cousins found wide-open Adam Thielen from a yard out on the next play.
Cook scored on a 4-yard run with 1:12 left in the half to pull the Vikings even at 14.
The Lions regained the lead midway through the third quarter on Seibert’s 40-yard field goal. Greg Joseph missed a 56-yard field goal on Minnesota’s next possession.
Williams cut to his right and scored from 13 yards out with 2:08 left in the quarter to give Detroit a 24-14 advantage.
Alexander Mattison, who replaced Cook, scored on a 6-yard run with 7:50 remaining to pull Minnesota within three points.
Williams was stopped for no gain on a fourth-and-1 at the Vikings’ 30 with 3:30 remaining. However, Minnesota turned the ball over on downs with 2:32 left.
–Field Level Media