Minnesota Vikings 20-21 Denver Broncos: Courtland Sutton strikes late as Broncos edge out Vikings

With just over a minute remaining, Courtland Sutton made a leaping 15-yard touchdown grab to help the Denver Broncos defeat the Minnesota Vikings 21-20, snapping their five-game winning streak.

With their fourth straight victory, the Broncos (5-5) have now surpassed the Vikings (6-5) to hold the record for the longest winning streak in the league.

Late in the fourth quarter, with his sights set on intercepting a high throw from Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, Sutton outran Vikings cornerback Mekhi Blackmon.

The Vikings needed a field goal to win it, but Danielle Hunter’s tackle of Javonte Williams on the next two-point try held them within a point. However, the formidable Broncos defense, which resulted in three additional steals, gave Denver a dozen in its previous three games

They prevented the Vikings from leaving their own side of the field as they secured the victory. The Vikings QB Josh Dobbs lost his first game with the team since they acquired him in an emergency trade with the Arizona Cardinals due to an injury to their season-starting quarterback Kirk Cousins, despite throwing for 221 yards and a touchdown and running for another score. For Denver, Wilson completed 27 of 35 passes for 259 yards without giving up a pick.

With just over three minutes left, Greg Joseph’s field goal had made it 20–15 to Minnesota, but the Broncos began their game-winning drive from their own 25-yard line. The Vikings’ seven-minute possession, which included a fake punt from their own 30-yard line, ended with that kick.triumph.

In ten plays and two minutes, Wilson drove the Broncos 75 yards, finding wide out Sutton for his eighth touchdown of the year.

Since Dobbs’ three-yard touchdown pass to tight end Josh Oliver in the second quarter, which put the Vikings up 7-3, the team has been leading. In the third quarter, his 10-yard scoring dash put the score at 17-9.

In the first quarter of the fourth quarter, the Broncos lead 17–12 thanks to a field goal by Wil Lutz after Alexander Mattison’s fumble was recovered by Josey Jewell.

The Broncos offense was set up just inside Minnesota’s 10-yard line by Ja’Quan McMillian’s interception of Dobbs, but Denver had to settle once more for a Lutz kick through the posts to close the gap to just two points.

Crucially, with the game on the line, Wilson threw it up to Sutton, and the Broncos managed to escape with the victory when they finally found the end zone.