Facing a key third and five from their own 13-yard line in overtime, Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw a screen pass to Jarius Wright, who broke a tackle and was gone down the sideline for an 87-yard touchdown.
The play gave the Vikings a 30-24 victory over the New York Jets Sunday afternoon at TCF Bank Stadium.
Wright caught four passes for 123 yards on the afternoon.
Bridgewater finished 19 of 27 for 309 yards and two touchdowns. His only interception came on a Hail Mary throw at the end of the half.
Despite the victory, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer wasn’t happy with how his team played.
ZIMMER: "We should have won that game handily…Good teams don't do these things. Just because u win doesn't cover up your mistakes."
— Aj Mansour (@AjKFAN) December 7, 2014
The Vikings took a quick lead when Gerald Hodges, who was starting in place of the injured Anthony Barr, intercepted Jets quarterback Geno Smith on the first play from scrimmage and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown.
After New York battled back on a safety and a 35-yard touchdown pass from Geno Smith to Percy Harvin, the Vikings answered when Bridgewater connected with Charles Johnson on a 56-yard touchdown pass.
Johnson caught four passes for 103 yards and the score. The touchdown also highlighted a hot start for Bridgewater, who completed his first seven passes on the afternoon.
Moments later the Vikings extended their lead to 21-12 in the second quarter when Jerome Felton recovered a Johnson fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
But the Jets, who came into the game with just 67 second-half points, fewest in the NFL, rallied back on the injured leg of kicker Nick Folk. Folk was questionable coming into the game with a hip flexor. But he booted four of his five field goals in the second half to tie the score at 24.
Still, Minnesota had a chance to put the Jets away with just over three minutes remaining when Jeremy Kerley muffed a Jeff Locke punt, but Antone Exum was unable to recover the fumble after landing on top of it.
Instead, Jets’ special teamer Phillip Adams picked up the loose ball to keep their hopes alive and allowed Folk to kick to game-tying field goal from 44 yards out.
Percy makes big splash in return to Minnesota
Former Vikings wide receiver Percy Harvin is now with the New York Jets and he did his best to make Minnesota pay for trading him to Seattle before the 2013 season.
Harvin caught six passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. He also had a 47-yard kickoff return in the game.
It was his biggest single game since Seattle traded him to the Jets earlier this season, but Harvin left the game in overtime because of an ankle injury.
Harvin now out with ankle injury
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) December 7, 2014
Scoring Summary
1st quarter: MINGerald Hodges 27-yard interception return for a touchdown (PAT) 7-0, MIN
1st quarter: NYJ Teddy Bridgewater sacked in the end zone by Sheldon Richardson 7-2, MIN
1st quarter: NYJ Geno Smith to Percy Harvin 35-yard touchdown pass (PAT) 9-7, NYJ
1st quarter: MIN Bridgewater to Charles Johnson 56-yard touchdown pass (PAT) 14-9, MIN
1st quarter: NYJ Nick Folk 35-yard field goal 14-12, MIN
2nd quarter: MIN Jerome Felton fumble recovery for a touchdown (PAT) 21-12 MIN
2nd quarter: NYJ Folk 33-yard field goal 21-15, MIN
3rd quarter: NYJ Folk 22-yard field goal 21-18, MIN
4th quarter: NYJ Folk 24-yard field goal 21-21, TIE
4th quarter: MIN Blair Walsh 30-yard field goal 24-21, MIN
4th quarter: NYJ Folk 44-yard field goal 24-24 TIE
Overtime: MIN Bridgewater to Jarius Wright 87-yard touchdown pass 30-24 MIN
