Carter Gives Lift to Vikings : Interconference: Flea-flicker helps Vikings defeat Denver, 27-22. Broncos blow 16-0 first-half lead after Elway leaves with foot injury.

The Minnesota Vikings spent the last month and a half waiting for a big play. Sunday night, Anthony Carter and Rich Gannon made one happen.

Carter jumped over Alton Montgomery to catch a long touchdown pass from Gannon with 14:04 left as Vikings halted a five-game losing streak with a 27-22 victory over the Denver Broncos.

The Vikings had the ball on their own 44-yard line when Gannon handed the ball off to Herschel Walker, who took a step toward the line and pitched it back to Gannon. Gannon threw the ball high and deep even though Montgomery had tight coverage on Carter.

“I just thought, ‘What the heck?’ and threw it up for A.C. to make the play,” Gannon said. “I knew Anthony could go up and get it.”

Carter leaped to take the ball away from Montgomery at the 10, avoided Dennis Smith to stay in bounds, and trotted in for the score to complete the 56-yard play.

Carter was one of many big-name players to be criticized as Minnesota (2-6), the defending NFC Central champion, got off to its worst start since 1961. A dropped pass by Carter led directly to a loss to Tampa Bay, and he also dropped two passes in last week’s loss to Green Bay.

But Sunday he caught five passes for 146 yards, and came up with the biggest play of the game.

Just the fact that the Vikings won was amazing. The fact that the Broncos blew another big lead wasn’t. Denver has led at halftime in all eight games but is 3-5. The Broncos have been outscored, 135-59, after halftime this season.

The AFC’s Super Bowl representative last season, Denver lost for the fourth time in five games and is off to its worst start in a non-strike season since 1975. John Elway hurt his toe and arch after leading the Broncos to a 16-0 first-half lead and backup quarterback Gary Kubiak was intercepted three times, once for a touchdown by Joey Browner.

Did Elway’s absence change the complexion of the game?

“That’s a crazy question,” receiver Mark Jackson said. “Of course it did.”

“If you’re a backup quarterback in this league, it’s your job,” Kubiak said. “You have to handle it.”

He didn’t. Gannon, meanwhile, won for the first time in five starts in relief of Wade Wilson, who is out with a thumb injury.