By: Dave Campbell
MINNEAPOLIS – Stephen Gostkowski made his career-high sixth field goal of game, a 55-yarder with 1:48 left that lifted undefeated Tennessee to a 31-30 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday after Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill carried the Titans on another comeback.
Henry rushed for 119 yards and two third-quarter touchdowns for the Titans, who improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2008 after trailing for most of the game. Tannehill passed for 321 yards, guiding the Titans on a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter or overtime for the sixth time in 16 games since becoming the starter. The Titans are 12-4 behind Tannehill, including the playoffs, and they’re 15-0 when Henry hits the 100-yard mark.
Dalvin Cook rushed for a career-high 181 yards and a score for the Vikings, who are 0-3 for the first time since 2013. Kirk Cousins threw for 251 yards and three touchdowns, hitting Kyle Rudolph for a one-handed, toe-tapping grab in the back of the end zone for a 30-25 lead with 10:22 left. The depleted Vikings defense didn’t do enough to hold it, though, as Tannehill moved the Titans just close enough for Gostkowski to go to work. The last three of his makes were all from 50-plus yards.
Gostkowski, the longtime New England Patriots stalwart, missed three field goals in the 40 to 49-yard range and two extra points over his first two performances with the Titans. The 15-year veteran has three game-winning kicks with less than two minutes left in three games, though. The Titans have a net scoring margin of just six points.
The Vikings, who were outscored 37-13 in the first half over their first two games, had 464 yards by an offense that finally got going. Cousins was hit late by Jeffery Simmons for a roughing-the-passer penalty that gave Minnesota the ball at its 40-yard line with 1:41 remaining, but the Titans toughened up after that. Amani Hooker picked off a desperation fourth-down heave by Cousins, who has already matched his 2019 interception total with six.
INJURY REPORT
Titans: LT Taylor Lewan hurt his shoulder late in the first quarter and did not return, replaced by Ty Sambrailo. … LB Vic Beasley Jr. played sparingly in his Titans debut after missing the first two games with a knee injury.
Vikings: With DE Danielle Hunter (neck) and LB Anthony Barr (pectoral) on injured reserve and CB Mike Hughes (neck) and CB Cameron Dantzler (rib) on the inactive list, the Vikings were missing four starters from their first-choice lineup.
UP NEXT
Titans: Host Pittsburgh on Oct. 4.
Vikings: Play at Houston on Oct. 4.
*Courtesy Associated Press
