If you looked casually at the stats after the Minnesota Vikings and Cincinnati Bengals game, you might think the Vikings had just won an important road game. Quarterback Nick Mullens threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns. Subbing for Alexander Mattison, running back Ty Chandler rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown. The defense sacked Cincy quarterback Jake Browning five times and intercepted one of his passes.

But then you woke up and realized that the Vikings had blown a 14-point third quarter lead on their way to a 27-24 overtime loss to the Bengals. The team completely collapsed in the fourth quarter and squandered away their only overtime possession. Minnesota exited Cincinnati with a 7-7 record and dreams of what might have been.

Vikings Score Early

Vikings

Vikings RB Ty Chandler (32) – Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

But the game started out in grand fashion for the Vikings. After the Bengals’ opening drive led to an Evan McPherson field goal, Minnesota’s offense took the field almost mid-way through the first period. Mixing some hard running by Chandler and short passes to Chandler, Justin Jefferson, and T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota marched down the field to the Cincy one yard line.

From there, Chandler rammed it in, and the Vikings had their first lead of the game. Throughout the first half, Minnesota’s defense held the Bengals’ offense at bay, only relinquishing 42 yards during this period to the home team.

And two of the drives were extinguished due to Vikings’ sacks. Danielle Hunter and D.J. Wonnum contributed late quarter sacks that kept Cincinnati’s first half scoring to the aforementioned field goal. But Minnesota’s offense did everything they could to keep the Bengals in the game.

Two Missed Chances

On the Vikings’ third possession of the game, Mullens led his team on a 15 play, 75-yard drive that brought the Purple all the way down to the Cincinnati 14-yard line. Unfortunately, Mullens threw the ball short attempting to hit Jefferson in the end zone. The ball was intercepted by the Bengals’ Mike Hilton who returned it to the Cincinnati 17-yard line.

Then on the Vikings next possession, disaster struck again. On third and seven from the Bengals’ 22-yard line, Mullens attempted a short pass under heavy pressure by the Cincy defense. He barely got the ball out of his hand, and it fell right into the hands of Bengals’ defensive tackle B.J. Hill. Another missed opportunity.  And the first half ended with Minnesota clinging to a 7-3 lead.

Vikings Light it Up

But the Vikings’ offense came alive in the third quarter. On their first play of the second half, Chandler scooted off right tackle and sprinted down the sideline for a 24-yard gain. Mixing the run and the pass, Mullens marshalled the Minnesota offense to the Cincinnati 37-yard line. Under heavy pressure, he tossed a short pass over the middle to Jordan Addison.

Addison turned on the jets and outsprinted everyone to the endzone for a Vikings’ touchdown. Minnesota now led 14-3. But the Purple defense had thievery on their minds also.

Vikings Get Defensive

On the Bengals’ next series, Browning dropped back and threw a pass to the left sideline intended for former Vikings tight end Irv Smith. But Minnesota cornerback Akayleb Evans jumped in front of the pass for an interception. This would eventually lead to a 39-yard field goal by Greg Joseph with four and half minutes left in the third quarter. The Purple extended their lead to 17-3.

But Browning was determined to bring the Bengals back. Engineering a late-quarter rally, he culminated a long Cincy drive with a 13-yard scoring pass to wideout Tee Higgins. The Vikings lead had been cut to seven. But Browning was ready to work his magic again.

After a Vikings punt, he led the Bengals on another lengthy drive that ended with a Joe Mixon second effort, a one-yard touchdown run. The game was now knotted at 17-17. However, Minnesota still had some fight left in them.

Another Minnesota Score

Set up by a 30-yard draw by Ty Chandler, the Vikings once again took the lead on a one-yard pass from Mullens to Addison. The drive started with a 19-yard strike to Justin Jefferson over the middle.

And the drive almost ended when Mullens was picked off by the Bengals’ Germaine Pratt who returned the ball all the way to the house. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, defensive end Trey Hendrickson was ruled offsides on the play, nullifying the touchdown and keeping the Vikings drive alive.

Bengals Comeback

But the Bengals came right back. With Browning going 7-9 with 72 yards through the air, the Bengals quickly drove down the field in their hurry-up offense. And they scored on a miraculous catch by Higgins.

Higgins caught a pass from Browning, who was under pressure, just short of the end zone. But Higgins reached back with the ball and broke the plain of the goal line as he was being tackled out of bounds. It was ruled a touchdown and suddenly the game was tied again. Neither team could score during the remainder of the quarter, so the game was headed to overtime.

Overtime

Vikings

Bengals’ WR Tee Higgins (5) – Dylan Buell/Getty Images

The Vikings’ defense stopped the Bengals on their first overtime possession and after the ensuing punt, Minnesota started their drive at their own 37-yard line. Then the critical part of the game arrived. With one yard to go on the Bengals’ 42-yard, Mullens attempted two quarterback sneaks to reach the first down marker.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, the Bengals’ defense stopped Mullens on third and fourth downs for no gain. And the now infamous “tush pushes” by Brandon Powell did not do the job. Cincinnati took possession on downs and the Vikings’ armchair quarterbacks were having a field day.

After that, a 13-yard reception by Tyler Boyd and a nine-yard run by Mixon led to a game-winning 29-yard field goal by McPherson. Bengals 27, Vikings 24.

Next Up, Detroit

The Vikings now move on to play Detroit in a home game against the first-place Lions. With the Packers loss on Sunday, the Vikings still hold on to the sixth NFC playoff spot. But they face the Lions in two of their last three regular season games.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has already named Mullens as the starting quarterback for next Sunday’s game. Here’s hoping he has rid himself of the turnover bug and will turn in an error-free game at U. S. Bank Stadium.