Minneapolis pulled back the curtain from its new $1.1 billion football cathedral for all the world to see Sunday, yet the best part was more fortuitous than anything.
On a night abuzz with anticipation and accented by a powerful tribute to the late native pop icon Prince, it was the inspiring play of newcomer Sam Bradford, starting for the Vikings on two weeks' notice, that stole the show in prime time to certify the optimistic Super Bowl aspirations that seem wholly intact all things considered.
Bradford put the Vikings on his shoulders in the 17-14 victory over the rival Green Bay Packers to usher in the U.S. Bank Stadium era.
In spite of leaky pass protection, a swollen left hand and the second straight week of an ineffective Adrian Peterson, he completed 22 of 31 passes for 286 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He even established a favorite target, completing all nine targets to second-year wideout Stefon Diggs in a career performance of 182 yards and the eventual winning touchdown.
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The latter might have made for the greatest moment of the night.
After Minnesota's defense came up with a fourth-down stop within its own red zone, Bradford and Diggs almost exclusively took the Vikings 87 yards the other way on the ensuing possession. Following a 46-yard catch and run, Bradford delivered a gem of a touchdown pass over a Packers defender and Diggs' right shoulder from 25 yards out to pad a two-score lead in the third quarter.
WOW WOW WOW Sam Bradford & @stefon_diggs! 🙌#GBvsMIN #SKOL https://t.co/Wex0YfXSPc
— NFL (@NFL) September 19, 2016
The newfound connection almost took the sting out of losing Peterson, who in between Diggs' catches needed to be carried into the locker room with what the team called an injury to the Pro Bowl running back's right knee — a devastating blow in the wake of Teddy Bridgewater's lost season. Peterson is set to get an MRI on Monday morning, according to Vikings' head coach Mike Zimmer. Zimmer went on to say that whatever had bothered Peterson initally seemed to subsidein severity.
Still, this was Bradford's night. The 2010 No. 1 overall pick flashed the unfulfilled promise that rarely has leaked through in six NFL seasons. Most of all, in continued health and prosperity, Bradford would seem to justify the first-round price tag the Vikings paid to bring him in.
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No matter that on the other sideline stood arguably the NFL top signal called, who was grossly outplayed. Typically known to torment the Vikings at the old Metrodome (and, briefly, TCF Bank Stadium), Rodgers turned in a pedestrian three quarters as the Packers offense sputtered under the strange confines.
Green Bay's awakening came in the fourth quarter, when Rodgers orchestrated a 74-yard drive on 10 plays, the last of which seeing Rodgers take matters into his own hands for a 10-yard touchdown run. But the Packers offense repeatedly stalled in the fourth quarter in the face of Minnesota's defense, which forced four fumbles and recovered one.
Rookie cornerback Trae Waynes' interception of Rodgers at 1:56 sealed the game.
Rodgers finished merely 20 of 36 for 213 yards and a passing touchdown to Jordy Nelson. In his last seven games in Minnesota, he'd thrown 18 touchdowns without an interception. But this time was much different.
It was about christening a new stadium beaming with promise of a championship against a team that three times prior had spoiled such an occasion.
Not this time, thanks to Bradford.
