Minnesota Vikings 7-21 Seattle Seahawks: Chris Carson impresses as Seattle win fourth straight

Chris Carson rushed for a touchdown and Justin Coleman returned a fumble 29 yards for a score – both in the final three minutes – to see the Seattle Seahawks streak clear of the Minnesota Vikings and clinch a 21-7 victory on Monday Night Football.

In fact, 22 of the 28 points scored in the contest came in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter, with the Vikings scoring a late consolation TD, and only a pair of Sebastian Janikowski field goals coming before the late flurry of points.

Both teams generally struggled on offense. Russell Wilson and the Seahawks had only 72 yards passing, and an interception on the night, though the rushing attack churned away to the tune of 214 yards.

For the Vikings, Kirk Cousins completed 20 of 33 passes for 208 yards, and Dalvin Cook rushed for 55 yards on 13 carries, but the visiting side rarely made a trip to the redzone.

That finally changed in the fourth quarter when, trailing 6-0, a 48-yard pass from Cousins to Stefon Diggs helped move them down to the Seattle four-yard line. But, the Seahawks defense held strong and the Vikings turned over on downs when Cousins’ fourth-down pass intended for tight end Kyle Rudolph was knocked away by safety Bradley McDougald.

The Vikings then attempted a field goal on their next possession to try and finally get on the scoreboard, but Dan Bailey’s 47-yard try was blocked by Bobby Wagner.

They would prove to be costly misses, as a 40-yard scamper by Wilson helped tee up Seattle’s first touchdown on their ensuing drive, with Carson rumbling in from two yards with little under three minutes remaining – on his way to a game-leading 90 rushing yards on 22 carries.

Then, on the Vikings’ second play from scrimmage after Carson’s touchdown, Jacob Martin strip-sacked Cousins, with Coleman recovering it and racing down the sideline for a score.

Cousins would find Cook for a late, six-yard consolation TD, but the Vikings (6-6-1) slip to a third defeat in four games to leave them precariously placed as the sixth and final seed in the NFC playoffs with three games to go. A fourth win in a row for the Seahawks (8-5), meanwhile, practically guarantees them a wild card spot.

FIRST QUARTER

SECOND QUARTER

Vikings 0-3 Seahawks: Sebastian Janikowski 37-yard field goal

THIRD QUARTER

FOURTH QUARTER

Vikings 0-6 Seahawks: Janikowski 35-yard field goal

Vikings 0-14 Seahawks: Chris Carson two-yard touchdown run (Russell Wilson-Tyler Lockett two-point conversion)

Vikings 0-21 Seahawks: Justin Coleman 29-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown (Janikowski extra point good)

Vikings 7-21 Seahawks: Kirk Cousins six-yard touchdown pass to Dalvin Cook (Dan Bailey extra point good)

(c) Sky News 2018: Minnesota Vikings 7-21 Seattle Seahawks: Chris Carson impresses as Seattle win fourth straight