Minnesota Vikings vs Tennessee Titans Match Player Stats On Sep 11, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Sep 11, 2016

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Minnesota Vikings' offense failed to score a touchdown and star running back Adrian Peterson was stifled all day.

But Minnesota turned to its defense and kicking game to win its first game without quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, rallying from a 10-0 halftime deficit Sunday to stop the Tennessee Titans 25-16 at Nissan Stadium in the season opener.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks put the Vikings ahead for good with 1:24 left in the third quarter, picking off an ill-advised pass from Marcus Mariota and lugging it 77 yards down the right sideline for a 12-10 lead.

Minnesota's clinching score also came from the defense. After Mariota and DeMarco Murray botched a handoff, tackle Danielle Hunter picked it up and rumbled 24 yards at the 11:03 mark to set the final margin.

Kicker Blair Walsh, who missed two field goals in the first half, fanned an extra point in the second half but was able to convert field goals of 50, 34, 45 and 30 yards.

Shaun Hill, who was named the starter Saturday by coach Mike Zimmer after Bridgewater tore his ACL Aug. 30 on a non-contact play in practice, completed 18 of 33 passes for 236 yards. Peterson managed only 31 yards on 19 carries with no run longer than 9 yards.

Mariota hit 25 of 41 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns, both to DeMarco Murray, including a score with 41 seconds left in the first half that gave Tennessee a 10-0 halftime lead.

The Titans controlled play for most of the opening 30 minutes, using a power running game with play-action and rollout throws on offense. They scored the game's first points on a 28-yard field goal by Ryan Succop with 4:45 left in the first quarter.

Tennessee outgained Minnesota 194-150 in the first half, holding possession for more than 17 minutes. But its only points of the second half came with 28 seconds left on Mariota's 4-yard pass to Murray, which merely made the final margin more respectable.

The Titans dropped to 2-15 at home since the 2013 regular-season finale.

NOTES: WR Kendall Wright (left hamstring) topped the Tennessee list of inactives, which also included QB Alex Tanney, CB LeShaun Sims, OLB Aaron Wallace, G Josh Kline, G Sebastian Tretola and TE Jace Amaro. ... Minnesota's inactives included starting CB Xavier Rhodes (knee), as well as WR Jarius Wright, LBs Kentrell Brothers and Edmond Robinson, C Nick Easton, T Jeremiah Sirles and TE MyCole Pruitt. ... Titans WR Tajae Sharpe became the franchise's first rookie to start at his position in a season opener.