Vikings edge struggling Packers

GREEN BAY, Wisconsin Dovonte Edwards made the dream play of his young NFL career.
Somebody better pinch the Minnesota Vikings rookie, because this time he was wide awake.
Edwards intercepted a pass from Brett Favre and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown, Paul Edinger kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired, and the Vikings kept their playoff hopes alive with a 20-17 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Monday night.

"I had a dream actually last night that I would do something big today and it came true," Edwards said. "Mike Tice said you need to dream, dream about making plays and that's what I did last night, and it happened for me tonight."

Favre steered the Packers to a 7-0 lead on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver in the first quarter. With Green Bay driving again with just more than a minute left in the half, Edwards stepped in and changed the game.

Favre looked right and fired a pass to Andrae Thurman, one of the Packers' many reserve players forced into action during a season filled with injuries.

"I just read the quarterback's eyes the whole way," Edwards said.

Edwards made a diving interception, bounced up and ran for the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.
Favre struck back with a 53-yard TD pass to Driver, who slipped past cornerback Antoine Winfield and outran former Packers safety Darren Sharper with 26 seconds left in the half.

But Favre was just 5-of-15 from that point for 47 yards and another interception.

On their second possession after halftime, the Vikings went on a 13-play, 88-yard drive - helped by three Packers penalties - that was capped by Ciatrick Fason's 1-yard touchdown run to tie the game. Minnesota had not scored an offensive touchdown in eight quarters.

After Edinger gave the Vikings a 17-14 lead in the fourth with a 24-yard field goal, Favre led the Packers on a tying drive - capped by Ryan Longwell's 46--yard kick with 3:03 left.

That turned out to be too much time, and the Vikings easily moved back into range for the winning kick.

The loss puts the Packers (2-8) on the verge of ending an impressive streak - they have not had a losing season since Favre took over as starter in 1992, a run of 13 years that is best in the league.

Favre finished the game 20-of-33 for 227 yards and two touchdowns.
source : www.iht.com/