Vikings Ruin Charger Comebacks, 21-17

The San Diego Chargers had more comebacks Sunday than an aging Hollywood starlet.

But they had nothing on the Minnesota Vikings and Coach Bud Grant, who had some observers wondering, after a season spent blasting ducks out of the prairie sky, if he had lost his touch.

Not to worry. After being second-guessed each of the last two weeks on last-minute strategy, Grant had quarterback Tommy Kramer take a shot at the Charger secondary, which hadn’t allowed a completion to a wide receiver all afternoon. With 19 seconds left, Kramer lobbed a 26-yard touchdown pass to Leo Lewis to give the Vikings a 21-17 win.

Lewis outfoxed the Chargers’ Danny Walters, who had inside position and was attempting to make an interception rather than knock the ball down.

“I ran a fade pattern, outside and down,” Lewis said. “Walters had single coverage on me. I’m not sure if we both hit the ball at the same time or if it hit his pads, but it popped up and right in my hands. He made a good play, I just got the right bounce.”

For the first time in a year, all the elements in Air Coryell were reunited when quarterback Dan Fouts, tight end Kellen Winslow and wide receiver Wes Chandler returned from injuries. And, with the aid of newcomer Tim Spencer, they put together a dramatic fourth-quarter rally that gave San Diego a 17-14 lead with 6:13 left.

With all that time, the Vikings (4-3) mounted their own comeback.

Fouts, after missing nearly a month with a knee injury, entered in the fourth quarter and delivered an apparent 45-yard touchdown pass to Chandler, back in the lineup after missing a week with a deep cut in his ankle.

The pass to Chandler was nullified by a penalty, so Fouts, taking his time, pieced together an 11-play scoring drive. Fouts pitched to Spencer, who swept one yard into the end zone behind a block by Winslow, who took out two Vikings.

Winslow, who was out for a year with a knee injury, also led Spencer into the end zone from two yards out to give the Chargers a 7-0 lead on their first series.

Spencer rushed for 86 yards on 14 carries.

“I was just trying to take advantage of the chance to play some,” he said. “We have so much talent here, you better be ready when they give you a chance.”

In between those two touchdown drives, however, the Chargers (3-4) were sloppy enough to keep the Vikings in contention.

The Chargers intercepted two passes in the first quarter, but one of them was nullified by a personal foul against Linden King.

Penalties continued to burn the Chargers in the second quarter. A pair of pass interference calls contributed heavily as the Vikings tied the score, 7-7.

Gill Byrd and Walters were each whistled for interference, handing Minnesota 43 yards, more than half of an 80-yard drive.

Although sloppy and inconsistent for much of the half, the Chargers took a 10-7 lead on Bob Thomas’ 43-yard field goal.

Mark Herrmann was shaken up late in the half and wasn’t himself thereafter. “I got nauseous at the half and I wasn’t thinking clearly in the third quarter,” Herrmann said. “We were sluggish until Dan came in and got something going.”

After a scoreless third period, the Vikings seized a 14-10 lead on the first play of the final quarter on a 51-yard pass play from Kramer to Mike Mularkey.

On the next series, Fouts entered the game for the first time since he was hurt against Cleveland.

He completed his first pass to Lionel James, then went to Winslow for a seven-yard gain. It was Winslow’s first reception since his injury a year ago.

Winslow, caught two passes for 14 yards, and also broke out of a self-imposed period of silence.

“It was great to come back at the same time as Dan and Wes,” Winslow said. “Actually, I didn’t have the great anticipation of this day as you might think; it felt like I had never been away.

“It was like old times when we all went out there in the fourth quarter. That was rather dramatic. I looked around the huddle and heard someone say, ‘We’re all back.’ ”

However, Fouts’ next throw was picked off by Rufus Bess, and the Chargers were stymied.

The San Diego defense helped matters as King redeemed his earlier miscues by intercepting a Kramer pass, giving the Chargers possession at the Viking 48.

The 45-yard touchdown throw to Chandler was nullified by a holding call against Jim Lachey.

But, the presence of Fouts, Winslow and Chandler, plus some persistence, paid off in a 17-14 lead.

The Vikings, however, still had six minutes left, and they used up most of it in driving 76 yards for the winning score.

And just like that, Bud Grant was a genius again.