Dwight Freeney Made $200k On Game Winning Sack On TNF

Arizona Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro (7) watches his field goal split the uprights as Drew Butler (2) holds and Minnesota Vikings cornerback Marcus Sherels (35) tries to block during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz.

If Thursday night’s game between the Vikings and Cardinals was a playoff preview, then we’re in for a doozy in January. With his second-quarter sack of Vikings QB Teddy Bridgewater, Arizona DE Calais Campbell moved past Eric Swann and into fifth place on the franchise’s all-time list (46). So, do I think it’s a good game?

Prime time was not kind to them in their season opener, when they got steamrollered by the San Francisco 49ers on “Monday Night Football”.

The late fumble and the decision-making behind it will haunt the Vikings. Brown’s touchdown came on a 65 yard bomb by Carson Palmer; Brown is looking like the main deep threat in this offense.

Freeney didn’t mention it (and no one asked him, either), but his teammates knew it. Patrick Peterson said, “Dwight made a big play, earned him a little extra cash and that is why we brought him in”. Peterson only got eight carries because the team was down by so many points early, and the Vikings leaned on Bridgewater to make plays.

“I really want to credit the players for the way that they attacked the situation and especially coming after the loss that we had the week before”, said Zimmer. Peterson is still the best running back in the league, but opposing teams are simply stacking the box because they know the Vikings lack a huge passing threat.

With 13 seconds remaining, the Vikings were a field goal away from forcing overtime.

The slow-developing play left Bridgewater vulnerable and he told reporters after the game that the clock in his head told him to throw the ball out of bounds before he was sacked. Minnesota would fight back, however, with a 54-yard field goal and a 7-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace to tie the game 20-20.

Minnesota’s defense allowed 393 yards, but clamped down in the red zone, holding Arizona to field goals three times.

He completed 25 of 36 passes for a career-high 335 yards and a touchdown.

Peterson had one of the fumbles on what was supposed to be a reverse.

Peterson got his touches after being a non-factor against the Seahawks, but he didn’t do much after scoring on a 9-yard run in the first quarter. With the Cardinals leading 23-20, the Vikings drove the ball into Cardinals territory with under a minute to play in the game. David Johnson filled in admirably once again, rushing 19 times for 92 yards.

“I thought he ran physical, he ran hard”, Zimmer said. Palmer on the next play executed a kneel down and the game was done. He helped to spring wide receiver Michael Floyd during Floyd’s 42-yard touchdown reception down the right sideline.