Jeff Fisher didn’t want to use Greg Zuerlein on an extra point after Todd Gurley’s first quarter touchdown run and wound up seeing his team leave with zero points after Gurley was stopped short of the end zone on the two-point try.
Zuerlein has come in handy since then, however, and the Rams lead 15-10 at halftime after scoring the final 15 points of the first half. Zuerlein hit a 61-yard field goal, which is the longest in the league to this point in the season, and added two move before the end of the second quarter to help his team jump in front after the Vikings took an early lead.
After two punts, the Rams scored on four straight drives to close out the half. Todd Gurley has 31 rushing yards, but added 20 through the air and Tavon Austin has run five times for 48 yards. Nick Foles used those dual threats on decoys to set up a 55-yard pass to Kenny Britt before one score and the same duo clicked for another good gain to put the Rams in position for more points.
The Vikings’ offense took the opposite journey. Two scoring drives to open the game were followed by three drives that totaled 51 yards against a Rams defense that’s without defensive ends Chris Long and Robert Quinn and safety T.J. McDonald. Adrian Peterson has 51 yards on 11 carries, but Teddy Bridgewater has added just 83 yards on 9-of-14 passing.
He’ll need to do more in the second half to balance out the offense and the defense needs to put wraps on Austin if the Vikings are going to turn things back in their direction in the final 30 minutes.