Week 1 of the NFL preseason is over for the Minnesota Vikings. In this game, the purple and gold team achieved a thrilling last-second victory with 24:23 against the Las Vegas Raiders, and even though it was a friendly game, there was an exciting atmosphere.
The crowd at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis was loud and engaged for a preseason game. Fans saw several rookies in action on Saturday. Some of these young players made big plays that will make for some spectacular moments.
For many fans, it was the first time they saw the new Minnesota players in action. It was a great joy to see these players on the field during a broadcast on the NFL Network, with Paul Allen, “The Voice of the Vikings,” on the microphone.
The Minnesota Vikings’ first preseason game had many positives and negatives. There were some rust spots and inexperience on display, but there were also moments that made fans jump out of their seats.
Sam Darnold started at quarterback for Minnesota, but all eyes were on rookie JJ McCarthy. An early interception was thrown off by the Vikings’ passer, who showed off his throwing ability by throwing two nice touchdowns and completing 11 of his 17 passing attempts for 188 yards.
Dallas Turner was outstanding on defense. Minnesota’s other first-round pick applied constant pressure and even managed a sack early in the game. He wasn’t the only rookie defender to shine. Defensive lineman Levi Drake Rodriguez also had an impressive day.
Rookie kicker Will Reichard’s first field goal attempt was blocked, but he converted all three of his extra point attempts on the day and showed his ability in the game’s closing moments, finishing the day 1-for-2 on field goals.
The most surprising rookie performance of the day came from former Air Force edge rusher Bo Richter. Not only did he have a great sack, but he also consistently put himself in positions to win his one-on-one battles against Las Vegas’ blockers.
The game was decided in the final two minutes when the Minnesota Vikings trailed 21-23 on a third down with 4 yards left to play and 66 yards from the goal. An incomplete pass led to a Vikings punt, but Minnesota’s defense held off the Raiders and gave Jaren Hall and the Vikings another chance. A couple of controversial timeouts by the Raiders helped the purple and gold get within field goal range.
It all came down to a 38-yard field goal attempt from the left side. Rookie kicker Will Reichard converted the kick to give Minnesota a 24-23 victory, giving the team a 1-0 preseason record.
In Week 2 of the preseason, the Minnesota Vikings will travel to Ohio to take on the Cleveland Browns. That will happen on Saturday, August 17th with kickoff at 3:25 p.m. CDT. Don’t miss more great preseason action next week!
