DUBLIN (AP) — Kenneth Gainwell ran for 99 yards and two touchdowns and the Pittsburgh Steelers held on to beat the Minnesota Vikings 24-21 on Sunday in Ireland’s first regular-season NFL game.
DK Metcalf had five catches for 126 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown for the Steelers, who improved to 3-1 going into their bye week.
The Steelers victory gave quarterback Aaron Rodgers his first international win and capped a Rooney family homecoming in front of a decidedly pro-Steelers crowd of 74,512
at Croke Park. Rodgers was 18 for 22 for 200 yards and the touchdown to Metcalf.
Carson Wentz, making his second consecutive start for the injured J.J. McCarthy, was 30 for 46 for 350 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Vikings (2-2).
T.J. Watt’s interception of Wentz’s pass — tipped by Cam Heyward at the line of scrimmage — set up the Steelers on the Minnesota 35 in the third quarter, and Gainwell scored from 4 yards for a 21-6 lead. It was nearly identical to Gainwell’s 1-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
DeShon Elliott had the other interception and the Steelers sacked Wentz six times.
Rodgers found Metcalf on a crossing route and the wide receiver zoomed by safety Theo Jackson and into the end zone for a 14-3 lead early in the second quarter.
Minnesota's Isaiah Rodgers blocked Chris Boswell's 30-yard field-goal attempt with 1:42 left in the half to keep the score 14-3. Last week, Rodgers scored two defensive touchdowns and forced three turnovers in a 48-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Vikings' subsequent drive stalled in the red zone and they settled for Will Reichard's 28-yard field goal just before halftime. Reichard opened the scoring with a 41-yard field goal in the first quarter after Patrick Queen sacked Wentz on third down.
Trailing 24-6, Wentz threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes.
Wentz found Zavier Scott in the back of the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown pass. The 2-point conversion made the score 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter.
Pittsburgh then drove and went for it on fourth-and-goal from the 3 from the Gainwell was stopped short, leaving the Vikings with the ball on their 1-yard line with just over four minutes remaining.
Wentz hit a wide-open Jordan Addison for an 81-yard reception before he was tackled at the 1, setting up Jalen Nailor's 2-yard touchdown reception on fourth down.
The comeback came up short when Wentz threw an incomplete pass on fourth-and-17 from the Vikings 32, and the Steelers ran out the clock. Justin Jefferson had 10 catches for 126 yards and Addison had four catches for 114 yards in his first game of the season after a three-game suspension.
Late in the first half, the 41-year-old Rodgers scrambled on third down from the Minnesota 31, then fumbled when he was tackled, but the ball bounced to Broderick Jones and the lineman took it 4 yards to the 15. The quarterback said this week that he has some Irish heritage. But the drive ended with no points because of the blocked field goal.
Vikings: Center Ryan Kelly was ruled out with a concussion. ... T Brian O'Neill was helped up after a Vikings field goal in the first quarter. He was later ruled out with a knee injury.
Steelers: WR Calvin Austin III was slow to get up after a play in the second half.
Vikings: They travel to London to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Steelers: Bye week. They host the Browns in Week 6 on Sunday, Oct. 12.
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