Pittsburgh
Steelers
5-3
14
FINAL
28
Minnesota
Vikings
2-5
AI Recap
AI RECAPIn a decisive Week 9 matchup, the Minnesota Vikings topped the Pittsburgh Steelers with a final score of 28-14, solidifying their playoff aspirations as the season nears its midpoint. The victory was crucial for the Vikings, who continue to build momentum in a competitive conference.
Leading the charge for Minnesota was quarterback Joey Parker, who threw for 221 yards and three touchdowns, showcasing his ability to connect with his receivers under pressure. Cole Rainey was a standout target, racking up 103 receiving yards, while Josh Cardona contributed significantly on the ground with 86 rushing yards, providing balance to the offensive attack.
Defensively, the Vikings were solid, anchored by Nick Cross, who recorded six total tackles. The turning point came in the second quarter when Parker threw two quick touchdowns, allowing Minnesota to pull ahead and dictate the pace of the game. Although the Steelers' Keeanu Benton managed a sack, the Vikings' consistent pressure and playmaking ability ultimately secured their victory.
Passing
| Player | Pos | ATT | CMP | CMP% | YDS | TD | INT | QBR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joey Parker | QB | 30 | 16 | 53% | 221 | 3 | 0 | 110.5 |
| Raheem Evans | QB | 38 | 21 | 55% | 197 | 1 | 0 | 78.5 |
Rushing
| Player | Pos | ATT | YDS | YPC | YAC | TD | LNG | FUM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Cardona | HB | 14 | 86 | 6.1 | 30 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Deon Baker | HB | 16 | 75 | 4.7 | 30 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
| Joey Parker | QB | 8 | 56 | 7.0 | 24 | 0 | 29 | 1 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 5 | 24 | 4.8 | 13 | 1 | 18 | 0 |
| Raheem Evans | QB | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Alejandro Feliz | TE | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Jose Ramirez | HB | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | — | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Tyronne Bryant | HB | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Cole Rainey | WR | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 1 | -2 | -2.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Receiving
| Player | Pos | REC | YDS | YPR | YAC | TD | LNG | DROP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cole Rainey | WR | 4 | 103 | 25.8 | 82 | 1 | 78 | 0 |
| DK Metcalf | WR | 7 | 95 | 13.6 | 25 | 1 | 19 | 0 |
| Justin Jefferson | WR | 5 | 58 | 11.6 | 12 | 1 | 24 | 0 |
| Pat Freiermuth | TE | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Jordan Addison | WR | 3 | 26 | 8.7 | 8 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Jalen McMillan | WR | 3 | 25 | 8.3 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Patrick Hatchett | WR | 4 | 23 | 5.8 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| T.J. Hockenson | TE | 3 | 20 | 6.7 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 1 |
| Deon Baker | HB | 2 | 16 | 8.0 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| Demond Claiborne | HB | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Tyronne Bryant | HB | 2 | 12 | 6.0 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
Defense
| Player | Pos | TKL | SACK | INT | FF | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kam Curl | SS | 6 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Cross | SS | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Chase Meyers | MIKE | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nate Wiggins | CB | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Alex Highsmith | REDG | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Keeanu Benton | DT | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Golday | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Daylen Everette | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Nick Herbig | REDG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blake Cashman | MIKE | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Byron Murphy Jr | CB | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cesar Delgado | WILL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashawn Coffee | SS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kirk Bradshaw | DT | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bud Clark | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Adrian McGraw | FS | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jayden Harrington | REDG | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Osa Odighizuwa | DT | 2 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trenton Simpson | WILL | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Charles Demmings | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tyson Campbell | CB | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Caleb Banks | DT | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Devonta Paul | MIKE | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Elijah Davis | DT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rashan Gary | LEDG | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Upton Stout | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brandon Cisse | CB | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Kicking
| Player | Pos | FGM | FGA | XPM | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Reichard | K | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Bryce Baringer | P | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Andres Borregales | K | 2 | 2 | 0 | 53 |

