Vikings lose at Cardinals 34-33 after Greg Joseph misses FG at buzzer

Vikings fall to 0-2

September 19, 2021

Clarissa Allen,

MINNEAPOLIS – (FOX 9)The Minnesota Vikings left Sunday’s game at the Arizona Cardinals up to Greg Joseph, and the kicker failed to deliver the team’s first win of the season.

In a roller-coaster, back-and-forth game, Kirk Cousins led the Vikings down into field goal range and ran the clock down for Joseph to try a 37-yard game-winning kick. Like the position has so many other times for the Vikings, the kicker didn’t come through. Joseph’s kick was clean, but it drifted wide right as time expired. It was as predictable as it was improbable. In the middle of the field at a manageable distance, Joseph just plain missed.

“I felt good about that kick. I know he missed the extra point earlier, but he’s been kicking good. We’re indoors, it’s a perfect surface. I’m thinking this should be an easy one here,” Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said after the loss.

“That kick didn’t lose us the game, first of all. It’s a bunch of different plays throughout the game. That one kick didn’t lose us the game, we’re a team,” receiver K.J. Osborn said. “He’s going to keep knocking them in for us, it happens. We love him, that’s our guy.”

The Vikings return home 0-2, with three straight at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Seattle Seahawks, Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions.

Cousins finished 22-of-32 passing for 244 yards and three touchdowns to K.J. Osborn, Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen. Dalvin Cook had 22 carries for 131 yards and battled injuries in the second half.

Kyler Murray led the Cardinals with 400 yards passing, three touchdowns and a rushing touchdown, but also had two interceptions. The Vikings’ defense gave up some big plays, but also sacked Murray three times and got an interception for a touchdown from Nick Vigil.

Murray answered every big play the Vikings made in the first half, hitting DeAndre Hopkins for a 15-yard touchdown, running for a 12-yard score of his own and finding a wide open Rondale Moore for a 77-yard score. The Cardinals led 24-23 at the half after Matt Prater drilled a kick from 62 yards out.

Joseph gave the Vikings a 33-31 lead with 14:12 to play, and got another chance after Prater made his second field goal of the day with 4:25 left.

Joseph missed his first extra point attempt of the game, also wide right, but had his chance for redemption and to send the Vikings back to Minnesota with their first win of the season. With the game on the line and from 37 yards out, Joseph couldn’t come through when it mattered the most.

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