In Minnesota, a slow start Saturday derailed Seattle’s hopes of beating the Vikings and gaining momentum toward the regular season as the Vikings beat the Seahawks 24-13.
Despite failing to score an offensive touchdown all game, Seattle (1-2 preseason) took a 13-10 lead into the last 15 minutes of play. In the final minutes of the game, Minnesota (2-1 preseason) amassed 107 yards over two possessions. Each were capped off by touchdown passes from Vikings backup quarterbacks.
Facing fourth-and-four on Seattle’s 25-yard line with 7:16 remaining, Sage Rosenfels found newly acquired wide receiver Javon Walker down the right sideline for the go-ahead touchdown.
On the Vikings’ next drive, rookie Joe Webb connected with running back Ryan D’Imperio for a 7-yard score. A Ryan Longwell extra point gave Minnesota an 11-point lead with less than three minutes to play.
Seattle’s lone touchdown came in early in the second quarter thanks to one of the team’s highly touted rookies. On first-and-ten from the Seattle 25 with 12:57 remaining in the second quarter, free safety Earl Thomas plucked a tipped ball out of the air – a pass intended for wideout Bernard Berrian by Brett Favre – and raced down the left sideline 87 yards for a touchdown.
While Thomas shined, his teammaters didn’t. Of Seattle’s 11 offensive possessions, six resulted in punts. One resulted in a missed field goal; the other, a Charlie Whitehurst interception. Defensively, the Seahawks allowed 358 yards of total offense and 21 first downs.
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