Minnesota Vikings vs Washington Commanders Box Score on Nov 12, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Nov 12, 2017

LANDOVER, Md. -- Case Keenum threw a career-high four touchdown passes, Adam Thielen had 166 receiving yards and the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Washington Redskins 38-30 Sunday at FedExField for their fifth straight win.

Minnesota scored three touchdowns in a 4:27 span of the second and third quarters to open an 18-point lead and held on.

Keenum finished 21 of 29 for 304 yards. He threw two second-half interceptions. Thielen had eight catches, one for a touchdown as Keenum touchdown passes went to four different players.

The Vikings, 7-2 atop the NFC North, won without defensive end Everson Griffen (foot injury).

Quarterback Kirk Cousins passed for one touchdown and ran for two more. He was 26 of 45 for 327 yards and one interception for Washington (4-5).

Keenum's 49-yard bomb to Thielen on the third play of the second half set up his 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jarius Wright that gave the Vikings a 35-17 lead with 12:22 left in the third quarter.

A Nick Rose 21-yard field goal pulled Washington within 35-20.

Then, on the first play of the fourth quarter, safety D.J. Swearinger intercepted his second Keenum pass and returned it 31 yards to the Minnesota 2-yard line. Cousins scored two plays later and Washington was within 35-27 with 14:47 remaining.

Minnesota took seven minutes off the clock before Kai Forbath nailed a 53-yard field goal to push the lead to 38-27, and then stopped Washington on fourth-and-1 at the Minnesota 33.

Rose's 55-yard field goal made it 38-30 with 1:14 left, but his onside kick attempt went out of bounds and Minnesota took over.

From the Minnesota 36 on the opening drive, Cousins threw down the left sideline to wide receiver Maurice Harris. Harris, promoted from the practice squad Saturday, made a diving one-handed catch near the pylon. The play was ruled out of bounds, but the Redskins challenged and replay showed Harris came down inbounds for the touchdown.

The Vikings quickly tied it. Keenum found wide receiver Stefon Diggs streaking down the left sideline and their 51-yard connection set up Latavius Murray's 1-yard touchdown run.

With the Vikings trailing 10-7 early in the second quarter, Keenum hit Thielen over the middle on third-and-4 for 37 yards to the Washington 19. Five plays later, Keenum threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Diggs.

An unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Diggs helped the Redskins start at their own 40, and they regained the lead with a 13-play drive that ended when Cousins bulled in from the 1-yard line with 4:37 left in the first half.

Keenum and Thielen connected for back-to-back gains of 38 and 17 yards to get Minnesota to the 5-yard line. Keenum found Thielen again, this time for a 7-yard touchdown and the Vikings led 21-17 with 1:46 left.

Disaster struck for Washington when Cousins' first-down throw sailed over wide receiver Jamison Crowder and was picked off by cornerback Mackensie Alexander and returned to the Washington 23. Keenum passed to tight end David Morgan for a 1-yard touchdown and the Vikings' lead was 11.

NOTES: In addition to DE Everson Griffen, the Vikings were without starting T Mike Remmers (concussion). ... Washington was without starting TE Jordan Reed (hamstring), S Montae Nicholson (shoulder) and DE Matt Ioannidis (hand). ... Vikings K Kai Forbath hit his 16th straight field goal. ... With two rushing scores, Kirk Cousins (12) passed Sonny Jurgensen (10) for sole possession of the second-most career rushing touchdowns by a Redskins quarterback behind Joe Theismann (17). ... Redskins WR Ryan Grant (concussion) and LB Will Compton (foot) left the game and did not return.