If you consider the most important football in a preseason game happens in the early going, the Raiders won this one. Even though technically, in the end, the final score didn’t reflect that.
The Raiders didn’t sit any of their starters who were available to play in the game. All expected starters were in for the first quarter before giving way to the second teamers in the second quarter.
The Vikings got the ball first and drove inside the ten. Then on 4th and two, they went for it and the Raiders made the stop to take over at their own four-yard-line.
Aidan O’Connell came in at quarterback to start the game for the Raiders, and he led them right down the first for the score. The offense went 83 yards on 15 plays with O’Connell completing seven of nine passes; three to Jakobi Meyers and two to rookie TE Brock Bowers.
On third and goal, left tackle Andrus Peat was beaten to give up the sack on O’Connell and the Raiders settled for a field goal.
An interception on the ensuing Vikings drive early in the second, brought in Gardner Minshew. The veteran led the Raiders 76 yards for the touchdown, finishing it off with a nice looking connection with DJ Turner for the score and a 10-0 Raiders lead.
A 48-yard run by Vikings RB K Nwangu would make the score 10-7.
Minshew came back out and connected with Tre Tucker on a deep ball, with Tucker laying out for a brilliant 44-yard grab. Zamir White finished off the drive with a walk-in touchdown run up the middle to take a 17-7 lead.
The Vikings would drive into field goal range, but the attempt was blocked by TJ Franklin and caught in the air by Phalen Sanford who returned it 42 yards to the Minnesota 40. The Raiders used the field position to add another field goal before the half to make it a 20-7 lead.
Things completely fell apart for the Raiders in the second half. On both sides of the ball. Anthony Brown came in at quarterback and didn’t get his first completion until the third possession.
Meanwhile the Raiders defense was getting torched. First with rookie MJ Devonshire biting on a double move to give up a deep TD pass up the left side, then with fellow rookie safety Trey Taylor peeking into the backfield to give up a wide open 33-yard touchdown.
And just like that, the Raiders 20-7 lead was a 21-20 deficit.
Late in the third, the Raiders got a huge punt by AJ Cole and a stop by the defense to give them solid field position. First down runs by Anthony Brown and Sincere McCormick put them in scoring range. But on third and goal from the one, McCormick was stuffed for a three-yard loss and the Raiders settled for a field goal and a 23-21 lead.
Carter Bradley entered at QB midway through the fourth quarter. Antonio Pierce was just trying to run clock, having Bradley hand it off on his first six plays with no first downs.
Eventually the Vikings were able to mount enough offense in the final seconds to get into field goal range and hit a 38-yard field goal to get the 24-23 win.
Gardner Minshew 6/12, 117 yards, 1 TD, 112.2 rating
Aidan O’Connell 7/9, 76 yards, 101.9 rating
Zamir White 6 rushes, 23 yards (3.8 ypc), 1 TD
Sincer McCrormick, 8 rushes, 30 yards (3.8 ypc)
Tre Tucker 2 catches, 73 yards
Jakobi Meyers 3 catches, 45 yards
Brock Bowers 2 catches, 25 yards
Tre’von Moehrig 6 tackles (6 solo)