In the end, the Vikings outstank their opponents Sunday at the Metrodome, losing to the embattled Browns 31-27 in front of a sell-out crowd that sauntered out as if the fans didn’t believe what they were seeing.
What they were seeing was the Cleveland Browns, widely regarded as the worst team in the National Football League and perhaps the most troubled franchise in all of sports, coming into town with a third-string quarterback and no running back to speak of and pulling out a win.
And they did pull it out – the Vikings didn’t quite give it away. QB Brian Hoyer guided the Browns in an 11-play 55-yard drive that started with 2:30 left in the game and ended 1:55 later with a Hoyer corner-end-zone toss to TE Jordan Cameron for seven yards and six points.
The Vikings had one more chance for the end zone, but 55 seconds ticked away quickly, and suddenly the 2013 Minnesota Vikings are 0-3.
Adrian Peterson carried the ball 25 times for 88 yards with one touchdown, and never had a run longer than nine. Christian Ponder was 25 of 42 for 228 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. The other two Viking touchdowns came on runs of eight and six yards by Ponder, he averaged more yards per carry than yards per pass.
Brian Hoyer threw three interceptions, but also three touchdown passes, and Cameron had three receiving touchdowns for the Browns.
Cleveland had six sacks to the Vikings’ three, and kicker Blair Walsh went 2-for-2 on field goals to round out the scoring for Minnesota.
