Minnesota Vikings: 9 Top Plays from Week 1 Against the Chargers

While the Minnesota Vikings season opened with a thud as they let a 10-point lead evaporate into a seven-point loss to the San Diego Chargers, there were still a couple of bright spots that Vikings fans can cling to.

After all, what else do we have to hope for? The Twins are 24 games behind the Detroit Tigers, and the University of Minnesota football team is 0-2.

Unfortunately, Donovan McNabb's debut with the Vikings didn't make anyone forget about Tarvaris Jackson. He finished the game 7 of 15 for only 39 yards with a touchdown and an interception—a lowly 47.9 passer rating.

Don't give up yet, Vikings fans, even Brett Favre started slow in his Vikings debut. Favre had the good fortune of opening the season in Cleveland going 14 of 21 for 110 yards and a touchdown. The San Diego Chargers were a tougher opponent for McNabb.

9) Donovan McNabb Gets His First 3rd-Down Conversion

One of the low lights of the Vikings game against the Chargers would be Donovan McNabb's first pass as a Viking.

After the Vikings' defense held San Diego to a three-and-out on their first offensive possession and forced a punt, the Vikings would get the ball on their own 12-yard line.

McNabb attempted to get a quick completion to the receiver lined up to his left, the problem was Chargers defensive linebacker Shaun Phillips would knock the ball into the air and then intercept it, giving the ball to San Diego at the 6-yard line.

It would take two more possessions before the Vikings would convert a third down.

With 4:15 left in the first half, and facing a 3rd-and-3 from the Vikings own 15-yard line, McNabb would complete a nine-yard pass to Michael Jenkins for the first down.

The Vikings would convert two more third downs to keep the drive going, which would eventually lead to a Ryan Longwell 33-yard field goal.

While not a spectacular play be any stretch of the imagination, at the time it was only McNabb's fourth pass of the game, and his longest completion thus far.

8) Donovan McNabb Shows He Can Still Move, Runs for 23 Yards

With 1:49 left in the first quarter and the Vikings on the their own 40-yard line, Donovan McNabb lined up in the shotgun and able to avoid the outside rush and scrambled to his left, out-running several defenders before stepping out of bounds at the Chargers' 37-yard line.

The problem is this would be longer than any of McNabb's completions, and the second longest run for the Vikings on the day.

7) Jared Allen's First Sack of the Season Stops a Chargers Drive

With 6:06 left in the in the first quarter and the scored tied at seven, Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, with a little help from Brian Robison, sacked Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers on a 3rd-and-5 from the Vikings' 45-yard line.

This stopped the Chargers, forcing them to punt.

6) Catch of Firsts: Michael Jenkins' First TD Catch Is McNabb's First TD Pass

One play after Adrian Peterson ran for 46 yards, with 9:50 left in the second quarter, Donovan McNabb wasted no time in finding Michael Jenkins in the end zone for McNabb's first touchdown pass as a Viking, and Jenkins' first touchdown catch as a Viking. 

At the time it gave the Vikings a 17-7 lead.

Unfortunately, it would be the last points the Vikings scored in the game.

5) Vikings' Defense Comes Up with a Big Play, Stopping a Long Charger Drive

There have been concerns about Antoine Winfield and his age. The Vikings cornerback, who turned 34 in June, had another very good game with seven tackles and three assists.

On the opening kickoff, kicker Nate Kaeding  would suffer an injury attempting to tackle Percy Harvin. Kaeding would leave the game, relinquishing the kicking duties to punter Mike Scifres.

With 3:13 to play in the first half, and the Chargers driving deep into Vikings territory, San Diego would forgo a 42-yard field goal. Instead, on 4th-and-20, Phillip Rivers would drop back and throw a desperation pass to the end zone.

Winfield would break up the play, ending a 17-play drive that started on the San Diego 10-yard line. At the time, the Vikings were winning 17-7.

4) Antoine Winfield Strikes Again

The Chargers would get another crack at the Vikings before the end of the first half.

With 1:38 left in the second quarter, the Chargers would takeover on their own 17-yard line.

It would only take six plays, and a little over a minute, for Phillip Rivers to lead the Chargers to the Vikings' 22-yard line. 

With 16 seconds left, defensive end Brian Robison would apply pressure to Rivers as he released the ball. Winfield would pick off the pass, giving the ball back to the Vikings on their 17-yard line with only 10 seconds left in the half.

The Vikings would run out the clock and go into the locker room with a 10-point lead.

3) Adrian Peterson Breaks off a 46-Yard Run

The last time the Vikings and Chargers played each other Adrian Peterson would carry the ball 30 times for a single-game record of 296 yards rushing.

That was during Adrian Peterson's rookie season in 2007.

With 10:39 left in the second quarter, Peterson was given the ball at the San Diego 49-yard line. He would break free at the line of scrimmage and sprint to the Chargers' 3-yard line.

Peterson finished with 98 yards on 16 carries this time against the Chargers.

2) Jared Allen Picks off Phillip Rivers

Jared Allen not only had his first sack of the season, he also had an interception for the Vikings.

With 2:43 left in the third quarter and the Chargers on the Vikings' 24-yard line, the Vikings were clinging to a three-point lead when Allen dropped back and covered the running back out of the backfield.

Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers must have thought this was a mismatch in his favor as he tried to force the pass.

Allen turned in time to find the ball and reach up, making the interception right in front Ryan Matthews.

At the time, it stopped a 12-play drive of the the Chargers that started on their own 23-yard line.

1) Percy Harvin Opens with a Bang!

With the NFL's rule change to move the kickoff up to the 35-yard line, there were supposed to be fewer returns this season.

In the Vikings-Chargers game, there were a total of nine kickoffs, with only two taken for a touchback—and both by the San Diego punter-turned-kicker, Mike Scifres.

Percy Harvin took the opening kickoff three-yards deep in the end zone and turned it into six points for the Vikings.

It was Harvin's fourth kickoff return for a touchdown in the first game of his third season.

If the Vikings are going to be successful this season, they need to get the ball in his hands as often as possible.

A Couple of Clunkers to Close This out

I just couldn't finish this without pointing out a couple of plays that concerned me.

Besides the fact that Donovan McNabb's first pass as a Viking was an interception that would lead to a touchdown, there was the three touchdowns the Vikings allowed to Chargers fullback Mike Tolbert.

On a couple of occasions it was as if the Vikings decided not to cover, and then tackle the fourth-year player from Coastal Carolina. Tolbert led all receivers with nine catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns.

But perhaps the play that bothered me the most occurred with 8:25 left in the game and the scored tied at 17.

The Vikings faced a 3rd-and-8 from their own 30-yard line. McNabb, out of the shotgun, threw a pass intended for Bernard Berrian. It his Berrian on the chest and bounced away for an incompletion. If he had been able to hang onto the ball, the Vikings would have had a first down on the Chargers' 35-yard line. 

If Berrian drops a few more passes like that, it won't take long for McNabb to start forcing the ball elsewhere.