Pittsburgh Steelers vs Minnesota Vikings Match Player Stats On Aug 09, 2015

The Sports Xchange
Aug 9, 2015

CANTON, Ohio -- The Minnesota Vikings allowed only a field goal in the second quarter and opened the NFL preseason with a 14-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Hall of Fame Game on Sunday night.

Backup quarterback Mike Kafka threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end MyCole Pruitt in the second quarter, and running back Joe Banyard added a 1-yard score in the third quarter for Minnesota.

Rookie Stefon Diggs set up Banyard's run with a 62-yard punt return.

Second-year Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed five of six passes for 44 yards in a brief showing the day after the 2015 Hall of Fame class was inducted at Canton. Bridgewater checked down for the majority of his completions. Bridgewater's lone drive ended with a failed fourth-and-1 rushing attempt.

Minnesota running back Matt Asiata had six carries for 30 yards.

The Steelers went wire to wire with Landry Jones at quarterback, as Ben Roethlisberger was among the stars who sat out the game for Pittsburgh. Running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown also were idle.

Kafka led the Vikings to the game's first touchdown, guiding an eight-play, 81-yard drive in the middle of the second quarter. Kafka completed five of six passes in the sequence, including a 34-yarder to Pruitt for the score.

Kafka wound up 7-for-10 for 66 yards.

Jones completed 16 of 32 passes for 135 yards.

Pruitt caught four passes for 51 yards in his first professional game. Running back Dri Archer led the Steelers in rushing (four carries, 24 yards) and receiving (six catches, 33 yards).

Steelers kicker Shaun Suisham opened the scoring with a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter, but he was hurt on the second-half kickoff. Coach Mike Tomlin termed it a significant left leg injury.

NOTES: Vikings RB Adrian Peterson was in uniform but did not play. ... The Vikings were undefeated in the 2014 preseason. ... The Steelers play in the first game of the regular season at New England against the Super Bowl champion Patriots on Sept. 10. ... The Steelers' next preseason game is Friday against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. The Vikings play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. ... Longtime Steelers RB Jerome Bettis was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday and was greeted on the field before the game.