This game was in some doubt to even happen. There was a severe weather warning which included a tornado watch. Thunderstorms picked up as game time approached and about an hour before kickoff, the field and the stands were cleared due to lightning.
Despite the pregame uncertainty, the game got off on time and the starters took the field with the intention of playing most of the first half.
The Vikings got the ball first in this one. They moved to around midfield and could get no farther and were forced to punt. The punt was a good one, that went over return man Taiwan Jones' head and was downed at the 2-yard line.
In the shadow of their own goal line, Derek Carr threw two errant passes, one behind Marcel Reece and one over the head of Amari Cooper along the left sideline. The Raiders went three and out and were forced to punt out of the back of their own endzone.
The punt traveled just 34 yards to give the Vikings great field position at the Raiders' 39-yard line. They would get inside the 20-yard line on an 11-yard pass play from Teddy Bridgewater to Charles Johnson, but were unable to punch it in and were settled for a 35-yard field goal attempt. The field goal sailed wide right in the high winds, keeping the game scoreless with 2:24 left in the first quarter.
That's when the Raiders offense got on track. The drive began with two nice runs from Latavius Murray for 6 yards and 9 yards followed by a highlight reel catch from Amari Cooper up the right sideline for a 40-yard gain. A few plays later, Murray punched it in from 2 yards out to give the Raiders a 6-0 lead. Murray tried again up the middle for the 2-point conversion attempt but this time he was stuffed.
It is the first touchdown for the first team offense this preseason. They had a field goal in the preseason opener along with Carr throwing an interception on his final pass against the Rams.
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The Vikings were able to answer the Raiders' early score with a touchdown of their own on a nice pass from Teddy Bridgewater to Charles Johnson in the back of the endzone to begin the second quarter to tie it up at 6-6.
With 6:45 left in the second quarter, the game was suspended due to lightning and resumed after an hour delay.
Following the delay, the first team's day was done, replaced by the second teamers.
After a Jonathan Dowling interception, the Raiders' second team offense took the field. Tthey were able to drive into scoring position thanks to a 39-yard catch and run by Seth Roberts from Christian Ponder. But they couldn't punch it in and settled for a short field goal by Giorgio Tavecchio to take a 9-6 lead.
That lead didn't last long. With just over 2:00 left in the first half, the Vikings drove right down the field to score their second touchdown of the day on a Shawn Hill pass to tight end Chad Ford. That gave the Vikings a 13-9 lead heading into halftime.
Christian Ponder took the field again to begin the second half. The Raiders offense picked up three first downs and drove into scoring position at the 35-yard line. But Ponder with the winds swirling, converting on a 52-yard field goal would have been difficult. They went for it on 4th and 3 and Ponder was sacked.
On the third play of the Vikings' drive, quarterback Taylor Heinicke was hit sandwiched between Ben Heeney and Mario Edwards to get hit hard and was strip sacked. Shelby Harris recovered to give the Raiders the ball at the Vikings' 29-yard line. The great field position allowed the Raiders to add a short field goal from Giorgio Tavecchio to bring the Raiders to within one at 12-13.
A three-and-out by the Vikings gave the Raiders the ball back, and Matt McGloin took the field for the first time. His first drive lasted one play when he was hit from behind on the throw and it was intercepted. The Vikings offense would get the ball on the Raiders' one-yard line and punch it in on a Blake Renaud run up the middle.
Matt McGloin was unable to move the Raiders offense in this game as he had last week against the Rams. He was given four chances and couldn't get the ball into Vikings territory on any of them.
It remained a one-score game late because Vikings kicker Blair Walsh missed three field goals and an extra point. But the Raiders couldn't take advantage of it and fell 20-12 in a wet and windy on in Minnesota.
Derek Carr finished his day going 4 of 8 for 78 yards. Latavius Murray had 4 carries for 20 yards and a touchdown.
Brice Butler led the team in catches for the second week with 3 catches for 26 yards. Michael Dyer led the team in rushing with 12 rushes for 45 yards. Ben Heeney again led the team in tackles with 7 combined (3 solo).
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