MINNEAPOLIS — Stefon Diggs jumped up and down on the Vikings’ sideline, screaming in elation as “Enter Sandman” blared out of the speakers inside U.S. Bank Stadium with just over 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter.
Moments before, Diggs had caught a 54-yard touchdown from Kirk Cousins to breathe life into a Vikings team that was on the verge of losing to the Denver Broncos in befuddling fashion after entering Week 11 as a double-digit favorite over their last-place AFC West opponent.
The Vikings found the spark they needed through their star wideout, who notched five receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown all in the second half to lead Minnesota to a 27-23 win over Denver.
No team has blown a 20-point halftime lead since the San Francisco 49ers lost to the Chargers in Week 16 of the 2014 season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, teams leading by 20 or more points at halftime are 400-13 (95-1 since the start of 2015). Collectively, NFL teams had won 97 straight games when leading by 20 or more points at halftime.
Prior to Sunday’s come-from-behind win, the Viking were 0-8 under coach Mike Zimmer when trailing by 20 points at any point in the game.
This is the second largest comeback of Cousins’ career. His last biggest comeback came in Week 7 of the 2015 season when he led the Washington Redskins to a victory down 24 points and famously screamed “You like that?!” following the game. After a sluggish first half, Cousins finished 29-of-35 passing for 319 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Denver attempted a 43-yard field goal once it got the ball back after Diggs’ touchdown, but Brandon McManus‘ attempt sailed wide right and gave the Vikings possession at their own 33-yard line. Cousins found Kyle Rudolph streaking wide open downfield five plays later and hit the ninth-year tight end for a 32-yard touchdown, giving the Vikings their first lead of the game and game-deciding score.
Minnesota’s defense came through in the final moments of the game after Denver quarterback Brandon Allen converted on two fourth-and-6 situations with under 3:27 to play. On the last play of the game, Vikings safety Jayron Kearse broke up Allen’s pass intended for Noah Fant in the corner of the end zone, thus sealing his team’s victory. It’s Kearse’s second game-deciding play in as many weeks, having picked off Dak Prescott‘s Hail Mary attempt in the final moments of Minnesota’s win in Dallas last Sunday.