Washingtonpost.com: Raiders 22, Vikings 17
By Arnie Stapleton
Associated Press
Sunday, September 19, 1999; 4:56 p.m. EDT
MINNEAPOLIS The Oakland Raiders pulled off the upset despite losing their cool.
Russell Maryland picked off a pass and recovered a fumble as the Raiders defeated the Minnesota Vikings 22-17 on Sunday.
A week after blowing a 10-point fourth-quarter lead at Green Bay, Oakland survived a second-half meltdown as the Vikings mounted a comeback bid.
With the Raiders ahead 22-10 midway through the second half, Randall Cunningham completed a third-and-8 pass to Jake Reed and defensive end Tony Bryant was assessed a personal foul for driving the quarterback to the turf. The penalty moved the ball to the Oakland 45.
Then safety Eric Turner drew another 15-yard penalty for spiking the ball he picked off out of bounds near the end zone. That led to Cunningham's 28-yard TD pass to Jake Reed that pulled Minnesota to 22-17 with 14 minutes left.
Tyrone Wheatley fumbled at the Vikings 31 with 3:40 left, but Minnesota failed to gain a first down and punted. Wheatley secured the victory with a 25-yard run with two minutes left. He rushed 10 times for 72 yards in the second half.
The Raiders (1-1) trailed 10-6 at the half, but Rich Gannon hit James Jett with a 9-yard touchdown pass to give Oakland its first lead, 13-10 midway through the third quarter.
Maryland, who recovered a Cunningham fumble at the Oakland 25 in the first half, intercepted Cunningham's tipped pass at the Vikings 30 two plays later. The Raiders settled for Michael Husted's 42-yard field goal for a 16-10 lead.
Gannon's draw from the 5 with 1:08 left in the third quarter made it 22-10, but the 2-point conversion pass fell incomplete.
In the first quarter, Cunningham threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Carlester Crumpler and it appeared the Vikings' quick-strike offense was back.
But Minnesota (1-1) blew three scoring opportunities and stumbled into halftime with just a four-point lead despite outgaining the Raiders 256 yards to 93.
Gary Anderson, the first perfect kicker in NFL history last season, was short on a 50-yarder and his 43-yard attempt was blocked, giving him four misses this year.
Anderson was good from 37 yards in the second quarter for a 10-3 lead, but that came after the Vikings failed to take advantage of Randy Moss's spectacular one-handed, 24-yard catch over Charles Woodson at the Oakland 5.
Anderson's 43-yard attempt was blocked by Woodson and recovered by Oakland linebacker K.D. Williams at midfield, leading to Husted's 37-yard field goal just before the half. He also was good from 36 yards.
© Copyright 1999 The Associated Press
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