Tight end Kyle Rudolph caught two touchdown passes from Kirk Cousins, including a Hail Mary on the final play of the first half, and the Minnesota Vikings pulled away to a 27-9 win over the host Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Rudolph caught nine passes for 122 yards while recording his third career two-touchdown game. Cousins completed 21 of 28 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns for Minnesota (8-6-1), which moved closer to a wild-card playoff berth.
Dalvin Cook led the rushing attack with 73 yards on 16 carries and Adam Thielen added five catches for 80 yards as the Vikings swept the season series.
Matt Prater kicked three field goals for Detroit (5-10). Matthew Stafford was 18-for-32 for 116 yards before being removed late in the contest. The Lions were held scoreless in the second half.
The Vikings did not pick up a first down during their first four possessions but scored twice in the final 1:32 of the half to take a 14-9 lead.
Detroit was in control most of the half but couldn't get into the end zone. Prater made field goals of 47, 35 and 48 yards to give it a nine-point advantage.
Minnesota finally got into an offensive rhythm late in the half, scoring on an 8-yard toss from Cousins to Stefon Diggs.
The Lions ran four plays and then punted. The Vikings managed to run five plays before the half ended, including a 16-yard completion to Thielen and a 17-yard pass to Rudolph.
Minnesota had two seconds remaining for the final play and Cousins had plenty of time before heaving the ball into the end zone, where Rudolph made a two-handed leaping grab on the 44-yard play.
Dan Bailey's 24-yard field goal made it 17-9 with 8:54 left in the third quarter.
Rudolph capped off his big day with another touchdown, a 4-yard reception with 13:25 left on a play-action pass.
Bailey added a 29-yard field goal later in the quarter.
--Field Level Media