THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS improved their record to 8-3 despite trailing the Denver Broncos 20-0 at half-time of their Week 11 fixture at U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, on Sunday.
Kirk Cousins thre three touchdowns for 319 yards, completing 29 of 35 attempts for no interceptions, as the hosts eventually staged a remarkable fightback in the latter two quarters of a remarkable encounter.
The Vikings punted on their first four possessions, lost two straight fumbles and punted once more for good measure in an abysmal first half. Cousins, while he completed 11 of his first 12 passes, was responsible for one of those fumbles, but he was also the driver-in-chief of Minnesota’s come-from-behind victory as they scored touchdowns on four straight possessions in the second half.
Denver fell to 3-7, with six of those losses coming by eight points or fewer. The Broncos have led in the fourth quarter four times in those losses.
Lamar Jackson overshadowed fellow quarterback Deshaun Watson as the Baltimore Ravens crushed the Houston Texans.
Jackson had four touchdown passes as the in-form Ravens recorded a sixth straight victory – their longest winning streak since 2000 – with a resounding 41-7 result at home in what was the headline act in the early schedule on Sunday.
The Dallas Cowboys had to work far harder to see off a Detroit Lions team once again without Matthew Stafford, while Kyle Allen endured a rough outing as the Carolina Panthers surprisingly fell to the Atlanta Falcons, a result that puts the New Orleans Saints – 34-17 winners over the Tamp Bay Buccaneers – in the driving seat in the NFC South.
The Buffalo Bills moved to 7-3 with a 37-20 result against the Miami Dolphins and there was an excellent outing for Sam Darnold, his four touchdown passes helping the New York Jets to a 34-17 victory over a Washington Redskins franchise who now own a sorry 1-9 record.
NFL Sunday early kick-off results
- Redskins 17-34 Jets
- Colts 33-13 Jaguars
- Dolphins 20-37 Bills
- Lions 27-35 Cowboys
- Ravens 41-7 Texans
- Panthers 3-29 Falcons
- Buccaneers 17-34 Saints
- Vikings 27-23 Broncos
- Omni
