Los Angeles Rams vs Minnesota Vikings Match Player Stats On Sep 01, 2016

The Sports Xchange
Sep 1, 2016

MINNEAPOLIS -- Playing their first game since losing starting quarterback Teddy Bridgewater for the year, the Minnesota Vikings used a makeshift offensive lineup to finish a perfect preseason, beating the Los Angeles Rams 27-25 on Thursday.

Rookie quarterback Joel Stave started the game for the Vikings but left in the second quarter with a hand injury. His replacement, Brad Sorenson, had been waived by the team on Monday and re-signed two days later, after Bridgewater suffered a serious left knee injury in practice. Sorenson led a pair of short touchdown drives, as Minnesota coach Mike Zimmer's teams improved to 12-1 all-time in the preseason.

Rams quarterback Jared Goff, the top pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, made his first pro start and led Los Angeles on a 7-play, 62-yard drive on their first possession, hitting Kenny Britt for a 1-yard touchdown pass for an early lead. Goff played the first half, completing 6 of 16 passes for 67 yards, but also threw an interception and lost a fumble on a mishandled snap. Sean Mannion played the second half under center for the Rams and, trailing 27-10, led a pair of fourth quarter scoring drives to make it close. Mannion finished 15 of 23 for 135 yards and a touchdown as Los Angeles fell to 2-2 in the preseason.

Rookie running back Jhurell Pressley scored a pair of touchdowns for Minnesota, catching a 28-yard touchdown pass from Sorenson, and returning a third-quarter kick 106 yards, giving Minnesota a 20-10 lead. Another rookie, C.J. Ham, scored on a 1-yard run after another Rams turnover in the fourth quarter. But late touchdowns by Pat McRoberts on a 2-yard pass from Mannion and Aaron Green on a 26-yard run cut the Vikings advantage. Green was the game's leading rusher with 66 yards.

Minnesota opens the regular season Sunday, Sept. 11 at Tennessee, while the Rams open at San Francisco one night later.