Vikings Come Away Empty Again, 20-17

Division rival Green Bay handed Minnesota its second-consecutive three-point loss Sunday with a defensive stand and a scoring drive that left Packer Coach Forrest Gregg proud.

The Packers held the Vikings on a first-and-goal situation in the closing minutes, then completed a 66-yard scoring drive in the final 1:19 to win, 20-17.

Al Del Greco’s 22-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining provided the winning margin. It was Del Greco’s second field goal of the game, both coming in the fourth quarter.

Del Greco’s winning kick came after an 18-yard field goal by Minnesota’s Jan Stenerud with 1:24 left tied the game, 17-17.

Minnesota Coach Bud Grant elected to go for the field goal after the Vikings offense failed to penetrate the end zone on three plays from inside the Packers’ five-yard line.

Grant said the situation was not similar to one last week, in which the Vikings went for a touchdown on the final play of the game but came up short in a 13-10 loss to the Rams. A field goal in that game would have sent the game into overtime.

“It was a different situation,” Grant said. “I didn’t feel we had the right play.”

Minnesota quarterback Tommy Kramer said, “It was completely different. There, we had a chance to win on the last play. Here, there’s a minute and whatever left. You’re defense has got to stop them. The Packers did a good job moving down the field.”

Green Bay improved its record to 3-3, and Minnesota dropped to 3-3.

The big play on the final Green Bay scoring drive was a 26-yard pass completion from a scrambling Lynn Dickey to wide receiver James Lofton at the 10-yard line.

Two third-quarter touchdowns left the score tied, 14-14, entering the fourth quarter.

Packer cornerback Tim Lewis returned a Darrin Nelson fumble six yards for one touchdown. Then Lewis was beaten by Minnesota wide receiver Leo Lewis, who got open on the left sideline, caught a perfect Kramer pass, averted two Green Bay defensive backs with a nifty cut to the middle and scurried into the end zone for a 43-yard pass-run scoring play.

Following an interception by Green Bay linebacker John Anderson in Minnesota territory, Del Greco booted a 45-yard field goal to make the score 17-14 in favor of the Packers with 10:31 left in the game.