Game Recap – Minnesota Vikings 28, New Orleans Saints 25
The Minnesota Vikings defeated the New Orleans Saints 28-25 on Sunday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. Minnesota kicker Greg Joseph drilled a 47-yard field goal with 24 seconds to play to provide the winning points. Saints kicker Wil Lutz tried to tie the score on the final play but his 61-yard attempt bounced off the left upright and the cross bar, Minutes earlier Lutz drilled a 60-yard field goal with 1:55 to play to tie the score at 25. Joseph made five field goals for the Vikings.
“I thought they were both in,” Lutz said. “I hit them both on the screws. …I’m still kind of in shock the second one didn’t go in.”
It was the third consecutive loss for the Saints and drops them to 1-3. The Saints were called for 10 penalties for 102 yards. Five of the penalties gave the Vikings (3-1) a first down.
“Frustrating way to lose that game,” Coach Dennis Allen said.
Quarterback Andy Dalton made his first start for the Saints and was 20 of 28 for 236 yards with one touchdown. He lost a fumble toward the end of the first half on a sack-strip. Punt returner Deonty Harty also lost a fumble in the first half.
Latavius Murray led the Saints in rushing with 57 yards on 11 carries and Chris Olave was the leading receiver with four catches for 67 yards and one touchdown. The Saints defense registered three sacks of Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins and safety Tyrann Mathieu made his first interception as a Saint.
Receiver Justin Jefferson led the Vikings with 10 catches for 147 yards while Cousins was 25 of 38 for 273 yards with one touchdown and the interception.
The Saints played without four starters on offense: quarterback Jameis Winston, receiver Michael Thomas, running back Alvin Kamara and left guard Andrus Peat.
Lutz’s 60-yard field goal ties for the second longest in Saints history, matching a 60-yarder by Morten Andersen vs. Chicago in 1991. The longest is Tom Dempsey’s then NFL record 63-yard kick vs. Detroit on Nov. 8, 1970. The Saints are now 2-1 in London games.
The Saints will return to the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Oct. 9 against the (*25*) Seahawks.
