Vikings survive second half disappearing act against Saints
Josh Dobbs and the Vikings offense went silent in the second half but they rocketed to a 24-3 lead at the half and Minnesota won a fifth straight game, 27-19 over the New Orleans Saints Sunday afternoon Minneapolis.
Nov 12, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Joshua Dobbs (15) scores on a touchdown run as New Orleans Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor (1) look on during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium.
Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Dobbs, making his first start since being traded to Minnesota from Arizona 12 days earlier, led the Vikings to points on four of five drives in the first half, the first ending in a field goal and then after a three-and-out he guided the offensive to three consecutive touchdown drives and a 21-point lead at the half.
The first touchdown drive ended with Dobbs lining up as a receiver before center Garrett Bradbury snapped the ball to running back Ty Chandler, who sprinted to the left for a 2-yard touchdown and a 10-3 lead.
Dobbs' electrifying scramble for a seven-yard touchdown put Minnesota up 17-3 with 3:30 left in the first half, and then after the defense forced a second straight Saints three-and-out, Dobbs lofted a 28-yard touchdown pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson for a 24-3 lead with 16 seconds left in the half.
Minnesota's defense forced a third straight three-and-out for the Saints offense on the opening drive of the third quarter, and the Vikings answered with a fourth straight possession ending in points thanks to a 33-yard field goal by Greg Joseph.
Key stats:
- Josh Dobbs: 23-of-34, 268 yards, 1 TD; 44 rush yards, 1 TD
- Ty Chandler: 16 carries, 44 yards, 1 TD
- T.J. Hockenson: 11 catches, 134 yards, 1 TD
- Jordan Addison: 4 catches, 69 yards
Trailing 27-3, the Saints were forced to use backup quarterback Jameis Winston after Derek Carr was knocked out of the game with a concussion and right shoulder injury on a big hit by Danielle Hunter.
Winston immediately finished the drive by finding Chris Olave for a highlight-reel catch. A successful two-point conversion run by Alvin Kamara trimmed the deficit to 27-11.
After trading punts and Joseph missing a 54-yard field goal wide right, the Saints cut Minnesota's lead to 27-19 after Winston fired a pass across the field to a leaping A.T. Perry for a 15-yard touchdown. Kamara was then successful on a second two-point attempt.
A 14-yard pass on third-and-10 from Dobbs to Brandon Powell for a first down, followed by an eight-yard run by Kene Nwangwu and a 15-yard face mask penalty on Tyrann Mathieu, seemed to give back momentum to the Vikings. But on third-and-1 when Chandler appeared to score on a 29-yard run, the touchdown was called back due to a holding penalty on right tackle Brian O'Neill. Then on the next play Dobbs was sacked at the 44-yard line and the Vikings had to punt.
Ryan Wright answered with a punt to down the Saints at the 7-yard line and the defense forced a three-and-out, but the offense stalled again and went three-and-out, with Wrighting punting the ball back to the Saints' 17-yard line with 4:54 left in the game.
Winston again had the Saints on the move near midfield before his deep ball intended for Olave was intercepted by Vikings rookie cornerback Mekhi Blackmon with 3:06 to play. But again, the Vikings ran the ball three times and punted, giving the Saints the ball at their own 49-yard line with 2:07 remaining.
On the first play after the two-minute warning, Winston fired deep down the middle and was intercepted by Byron Murphy Jr. with 1:49 to play.
New Orleans got the ball back with six seconds to go and Winston's Hail Mary fell harmlessly to the ground and the Vikings won.
The Vikings are now 6-4 and have won five straight games, all of them with all-pro wide receiver Justin Jefferson watching on the sidelines as he recovers from a strained hamstring. Minnesota could have him back next Sunday night against the Broncos.
If Detroit loses in L.A. to the Chargers later Sunday, the Vikings would be one game out of the division lead with two matchups – in Weeks 16 and 18 – against the Lions remaining.
