Salisbury Rallies Vikings to Win Over Oilers, 22-21

Former USC quarterback Sean Salisbury rallied the Minnesota Vikings to a 22-21 exhibition victory over the Houston Oilers Sunday.

With Houston leading, 21-12, Salisbury came on with 4:09 to play and brought the Vikings back, completing six of eight passes for 48 yards and one touchdown.

Jim Gallery, who missed a 24-yard field goal with 5:14, made one from the same distance with one second left to provide the winning points.

Rich Gannon started at quarterback for the Vikings but misfired on his last seven passes and finished with only five completions in 13 attempts. He was intercepted by Chris Dishman, who would have scored had he not fumbled on the two while prematurely celebrating an anticipated touchdown.

Wade Wilson replaced Gannon in the second quarter and didn’t do much better--seven of 19 for 93 yards. He was booed frequently by the Metrodome crowd.

Salisbury, signed as a free agent, was cheered when he came in after Pat Eilers intercepted a Don McPherson pass. Salisbury capped a four-play, 36-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass play to Cedric Smith to make it 21-19 with 2:31 left.

After McPherson failed to move the Oilers again, Minnesota took over at its own 44 with 1:51 left. Salisbury completed three of four passes for 21 yards and Smith had a 14-yard run to position Gallery for his game-winning kick.