(Sports Network) – Adrian Peterson scored twice to help the Minnesota Vikings to their first win of the season with a 24-10 victory over the Detroit Lions.
Peterson finished the game with 23 carries for 160 yards, including a career- high 80-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, as the Vikings (1-2) bounced back from losses to New Orleans and Miami to start the season in which the team totaled just 19 points.
“It’s a lot better going into the bye 1-2 instead of 0-3,” said Minnesota guard Steve Hutchinson. “This is something we can build off of and gain confidence. The good thing is that we’ve improved offensively and we’re coming together a little more each week.”
Brett Favre didn’t have a great game as he was picked off twice and went 23- for-34 with 201 yards and a score, but it was enough to extend Minnesota’s home winning streak against the Lions to 13 games as the team has not lost at home to Detroit since 1997.
“It’s one game, but it’s a win,” said Farve. “It wasn’t the prettiest of wins but it’s a win. Our defense was outstanding and Peterson was his usual brilliant self.”
Shaun Hill, making his second consecutive start in place of an injured Matthew Stafford, went 29-for-43 with 237 yards, one score and two fourth quarter interceptions for the Lions (0-3), who have lost 22 straight games as the visitors.
Calvin Johnson had six catches for 56 yards while rookie Jahvid Best, who came into the game with five touchdowns, was limited to 26 yards on seven carries and two receptions for 13 yards in the loss.
“Any loss is tough and it’s been three tough losses to start the season,” said Detroit defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch. “We just have to eliminate the mistakes, both defensively and offensively. We can’t give up the big plays cause they’ve been killing us this season.”
Each team punted twice to start the game, but Detroit got the first turnover of the game when Corey Williams picked off a short Favre pass and took it 27 yards down to the Minnesota 12.
Three plays later, Hill found Tony Scheffler in the end zone from five yards out for a 7-0 lead with 3:04 left in the first.
Minnesota was forced to punt on its next possession, but Stefan Logan muffed the catch and the Vikings recovered at the Detroit 24. On the next play, Favre found Percy Harvin wide open in the end zone to tie the game with under a minute to play in the first.
Detroit put together an impressive drive on its next touch and got into scoring position, but Jason Hanson booted a 44-yard field goal attempt wide left with 10:42 to play in the half.
Minnesota took advantage of the miss as Favre drove the team down the field in 10 plays to take a 14-7 lead. On 3rd-and-1 at the Detroit 6, Peterson took a handoff up the middle and banged his way in with 4:44 left in the half.
After Detroit punted, Favre was picked off again by Alphonso Smith and Detroit turned that into a 33-yard field goal from Hanson on the last play of the half to make it a 14-10 game at the break.
Minnesota started the second half with the ball and used up over seven minutes of the clock to get into scoring position. The drive was capped on a 31-yard field goal from Ryan Longwell for a 17-10 lead with 7:47 left in the third.
The Lions got the ball across midfield on its next possession, but had to punt the ball away and Minnesota started the drive at its own 20.
On the first play, Peterson took a handoff up the middle, bumped it around the right side and raced down the sideline for his longest career run to give the Vikings a 24-10 lead with 3:01 to play in the third.
A Minnesota fumble in the fourth quarter was recovered by Detroit and the team got into scoring position in an attempt to make it a one-score game, but Hill was picked off in the end zone by Ben Leber.
Minnesota was forced to punt after three plays and the Lions again got deep into Vikings territory, but Hill was picked off again to seal the win for the hosts.
Game Notes
Minnesota welcomed back cornerbacks Cedric Griffin and Chris Cook. Both players had missed the first two games of the season as Griffin was recovering from tearing an ACL in his left knee eight months ago while Cook, a second-round pick of Minnesota in the 2010 draft, was suffering from a torn meniscus in his right knee…The Vikings have taken 16 of the last 17 games against the Lions…Scheffler finished the game with seven catches for 60 yards…Favre has six interceptions to just two touchdowns on the season…Harvin had six catches for 62 yards while Peterson finished the game with five catches for 30 yards.