Vikings beat Colts in OT in biggest comeback in NFL history
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings completed the biggest comeback in NFL history, erasing a 33-point deficit by beating the Indianapolis Colts 39-36 on Greg Joseph’s 40-yard field goal with three seconds left in overtime Saturday to win the NFC North division in their typical dramatic fashion.
Kirk Cousins passed for 460 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Vikings (11-3), who trailed 36-7 late in the third quarter and became just the third team in league history to win 10 games in a season by eight points or fewer.
The Colts (4-9-1) stumbled onto the infamous side of the list, just ahead of the Houston Oilers in the 1992 postseason. They blew a 32-point lead (35-3) and lost to Buffalo (41-38) in overtime.
According to Sportradar data, the Vikings became only the second team in 1,551 regular-season or playoff games since 1930 that a team trailed by 30 or more points in and won.
The Vikings took this rally all the way to their second possession of overtime. Cousins hit K.J. Osborn — who caught the first score and had a career-high 157 yards — for 15 yards. He found Adam Thielen — who had the second of three fourth-quarter touchdown passes — for 21 yards. Then he threw to Justin Jefferson for 13 yards to move into range.
Ifeadi Odenigbo was called for delay of game for lying on Jefferson to try to keep the Vikings from setting up for the kick, putting Joseph 5 yards closer for the winner.
BILLS 32, DOLPHINS 29
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Tyler Bass hit a 25-yard field goal as time expired, and Buffalo wrapped up its fourth consecutive playoff berth on a snow-slick field in rallying past Miami.
The Bills (11-3) overcame a 29-21 deficit by scoring on their final two drives. Josh Allen tied itwith a 5-yard pass to Dawson Knox and the quarterback then leaped over the line for a 2-point conversion to tie it at 29 with 9:02 remaining.
Allen then oversaw a 15-play, 86-yard drive that ate up the final 5:56 to set up Bass’ field goal, which led to numerous Bills players diving head-first to slide in the snow.
Allen threw four touchdown passes to increase his career total to 171 (including one receiving), and tie former Miami quarterback Dan Marino for the most by an NFL player in the first five seasons of his career.
The Dolphins (8-6) entered the weekend in second place and as the AFC’s sixth seed. They’ve now lost three in a row in their bid to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2016.
BROWNS 13, RAVENS 3
CLEVELAND (AP) — Deshaun Watson threw a touchdown pass in his home debut for Cleveland, leading the Browns to an ugly win over the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens, who need injured star quarterback Lamar Jackson to get back quickly.
Watson wasn’t spectacular, but he did enough in his third game since being reinstated from an NFL suspension to help the Browns (6-8) keep their miniscule playoff hopes alive.
Watson, who was banned for 11 games for alleged sexual misconduct, connected with Donovan Peoples-Jones on a 3-yard TD pass in the third quarter to put the Browns up 13-3 — the biggest deficit the Ravens (9-5) have faced all season.
Watson finished 18 of 28 for 161 yards and added 22 on the ground.
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