Patriots Vikings Game Recap
Patriots 30, Vikings 7: Tom Brady threw for 149 yards and a touchdown as New England bounced back from an opening loss by crushing host Minnesota.
Defensive end Chandler Jones blocked a field goal attempt and returned it for a touchdown and Steven Ridley ran for 101 yards and a score for the Patriots (1-1). Devin McCourty, Darrelle Revis, Logan Ryan and Dominique Easley each recorded an interception and Jones added two sacks to highlight the defense.
Matt Cassel went 19-of-36 for 202 yards, one TD and four interceptions in his first start against his former team as the Vikings (1-1) were held to 54 yards rushing with Adrian Peterson inactive. Matt Asiata ran for 36 yards and added five catches for 48 yards and a TD in place of Peterson.
Minnesota scored on the opening possession when Cassel found Asiata for a 25-yard TD, and forced a three-and-out on the Patriots' first possession before McCourty turned the momentum with a 60-yard interception return. Ridley punched it in with a 1-yard burst to tie it and a 48-yard field goal put New England on top before the end of the first quarter.
Brady went 5-of-5 on a seven-play drive in the second quarter that ended with Julian Edelman’s 9-yard TD catch, and Jones broke through the line to block a 48-yard field goal attempt before scooping it up and rumbling for a 58-yard score with 19 seconds left to send New England into the break up 24-7. The Vikings managed 35 yards in the second half as the Patriots closed it out.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Peterson was deactivated by Minnesota on Friday after news broke that the Pro Bowl RB was indicted on one count of negligent injury to a child in Texas. … New England CB Alfonzo Dennard, who participated fully in practice this week, was inactive due to a left shoulder injury after going through pregame tests with the training staff. … The Patriots were called for 15 penalties, their most ever under coach Bill Belichick, who became the sixth NFL coach to reach 200 career wins.
