Detroit Lions vs Minnesota Vikings Box Score on Oct 01, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Oct 1, 2017

MINNEAPOLIS -- Ameer Abdullah ran for 94 yards and a touchdown, and the Detroit Lions took advantage of three second-half fumbles by Minnesota to beat the Vikings 14-7 on Sunday.

Minnesota rookie running back Dalvin Cook had 66 yards rushing and a touchdown as the Vikings took the lead at halftime, but Cook left with a knee injury early in the third quarter when the Lions started their comeback.

Matthew Stafford was 19-of-31 passing for 209 yards and a two-point conversion through the air for Detroit (3-1), which pulled even with Green Bay in the NFC North.

The Vikings' defense had six sacks and held the Lions to 251 total yards, but went without a takeaway as four possible interceptions were dropped. Minnesota (2-2) was playing its third game without starting quarterback Sam Bradford.

Case Keenum was 16 for 30 for 219 yards passing for the Vikings. Stefon Diggs had five catches for 98 yards.

For a team already without Bradford, losing Cook could be a drastic blow. The rookie second-round draft pick entered the game second in the NFL in rushing with 288 yards. He fell to the turf after trying to make a cut and fumbled the ball, grabbing his left knee in the process.

He walked off under his own power but was escorted to the locker room by athletic trainer Eric Sugarman. He was announced out shortly after.

On the opening drive of the second half, Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon fumbled an exchange with Cook following a direct snap. Detroit kicked a field goal to draw within 7-6.

Cook's injury and fumble occurred on the next drive, and the Lions countered with Abdullah's touchdown and a two-point conversion to TJ Jones for the lead.

Minnesota drove for the potential tying score late in the fourth, but on third-and-goal from the 3-yard line, Detroit's Anthony Zettel was unblocked and sacked Keenum for the second time in the game. Keenum's fourth-down pass was high out of the back of the end zone.

The Vikings got the ball back with 1:51 remaining. But on the first play of the drive, Adam Thielen fumbled after a first-down reception and the ball was recovered by Lions linebacker Tahir Whitehead.

NOTES: Detroit rookie LB Jarrad Davis missed his second straight game because of a concussion. WR Kenny Golladay was also out with a hamstring injury. ... The Lions lost another linebacker, Paul Worrilow, to a knee injury on the first play of the game. Worrilow didn't return. ... Vikings WR Adam Thielen caught his league-leading seventh pass of at least 20 yards this season. ... Minnesota DE Danielle Hunter, who had 12.5 sacks last season, had his first two sacks of the season. Everson Griffen, Linval Joseph and Eric Kendricks also had sacks.