The Vikings and the San Diego Chargers saved their fireworks for the final two minutes of their pre-season game at Mall of America Field Friday night in Minneapolis, with the Chargers kicking a field goal with four seconds left for a 12-10 victory.
The Vikings and starting quarterback Christian Ponder were sluggish most of the game as San Diego led 9-3 going into the final two minutes in the fourth quarter.
After a brief turn by back-up quarterback Joe Webb, third-string QB Sage Rosenfels led the purple down the field in the late fourth quarter, which culminated in a 1-yard touchdown toss to running back Matt Asiata with 1:50 left in the game. After the Blair Walsh kick, the Vikings took their first lead of the game 10-9.
The Chargers answered with a late-quarter surge of their own with a nine-play, 53-yard drive which concluded with the 45-yard game-winning field goal by kicker Nick Novak.
Ponder completed nine of 16 passes and threw for 116 yards and one interception. Charlie Whitehurst started in place of the Chargers’ No. 1 QB Philip Rivers, and was 8-for-18 for 88 yards.
The loss dropped the Vikings to 1-2 on the pre-season, while the Chargers improved to 3-0.
The Vikings wrap up the pre-season Thursday at Houston.
