The Sports Xchange
Nov 15, 2015
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Adrian Peterson rushed for 203 yards and a touchdown, cornerback Terence Newman intercepted two passes, and the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Oakland Raiders 30-14 on Sunday at the O.co Coliseum, winning their fifth straight game.
The Vikings (7-2) took sole possession of first place in the NFC North, moving a game against of Green Bay (6-3), which lost to Detroit. The Packers visit Minnesota on Sunday (Nov. 22).
Cordarrelle Patterson had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter for Minnesota.
Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed 14 of 22 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown.
Peterson, the NFL's leading rusher with 961 yards, carried 26 times and scored on an 80-yard sprint to seal the victory.
Quarterback Derek Carr completed 29 of 43 passes for302 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions for the Raiders (4-5), who lost their second straight game. Wide receiver Amari Cooper caught five passes for 79 yards.
The Vikings led 20-14 at halftime and, after a scoreless third quarter, had a chance to extend their lead early in the fourth when Blair Walsh lined up for a 39-yard field goal attempt. But Raiders cornerback Keith McGill, rushing off the right edge, got a hand on the football, sending it wide left.
Minnesota forced a quick punt and took over on its 21 with 9:31 left. On second-and-9, Bridgewater hit rookie wide receiver Stefon Diggs with a short pass over the middle. Diggs juked safety Nate Jones and raced to the Oakland 41 for a 37-yard gain.
The Vikings marched to the Raiders 16, and Walsh nailed a 34-yard field goal, giving them a 23-14 lead with 3:50 left.
The Raiders drove to the Vikings 10, but on first down Carr tried to hit wide receiver Andre Holmes in the back right corner of the end zone, and Newman made a leaping interception.
On the next play, Peterson raced 80 yards for a touchdown, increasing Minnesota's lead to 30-10 with 1:50 remaining.
The Vikings grabbed a 13-0 lead on Bridgewater's 11-yard touchdown pass to tight end Rhett Ellison on their opening drive, Walsh's 20-yard field goal with 1:32 left in the first quarter and his 38-yarder with 10:33 left in the half.
The Vikings would have been up 17-0 if tight end Kyle Rudolph, wide open in the end zone, hadn't dropped Bridgewater's pass on second-and-goal from the 2, a drive that ended with Walsh's first field goal.
Oakland cut Minnesota's lead to 13-7 with 5:54 left in the first half on Carr's 10-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end Clive Walford. They moved ahead 14-13 when Carr fired a 34-yard touchdown pass Holmes with 1:52 showing.
Minnesota answered quickly. Patterson fielded Sebastian Janikowski's squib kick into a stiff wind and returned 93 yards for a touchdown. Patterson angled toward the left sideline, got a wall of blockers and turned on the jets, sprinting into the end zone for his third career kickoff return TD and first since his rookie season in 2013 when he had two.
Patterson's TD gave Minnesota a 20-14 lead.
NOTES: Raiders OL Tony Bergstrom made his second career start and first at center, replacing injured C Rodney Hudson (sprained right ankle), who was inactive. ... Vikings starting MLB Eric Kendricks (ribs) was inactive. Starting OLB Chad Greenway moved to middle linebacker, and OLB Brandon Watts started in Greenway's spot. ... Raiders S Nate Allen, who was activated Saturday from the injured reserve/designated for return, started against Minnesota. He had been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in Oakland's season-opener against Cincinnati. ... Vikings CB Terence Newman had his first two interceptions of the season, one in the first quarter and one in the fourth.