As Vikings coach Mike Zimmer tries to fix a suddenly broken
defense
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linebacker on a receiver. Multiple times.Linebacker Anthony Barr drew the short
straw on a 70-yard touchdown pass to Rams receiver Cooper Kupp and a 31-yard
touchdown pass to Rams receiver Robert Woods. Earlier in the game, Barr tried to
cover Rams running back Todd Gurley on what became an eight-yard touchdown
pass.The night capped a rough five days for Barr, a fifth-year player who is
trying to get a new contract. The first glitch came on Sunday, when Bills rookie
quarterback Josh Allen hurdled Barr in a highlight that will be part of the NFL
long after Barr is gone from it.“Got to be concerned,�Barr said on Thursday
night regarding the subpar defensive performance generally. ¡°We have to figure
something out and get this thing turned around soon.¡±Yes they do. Since taking a
14-3 record to Philadelphia in January for a chance to earn a spot on the Super
Bowl, the Vikings are 1-3-1. They¡¯re now 1-2-1 on the season, and whether the
season can be salvaged may hinge on whether they can exorcise a demon or two in
the City of Brotherly Love. A tie felt odd to Kirk Cousins.On one hand, the
Minnesota Vikings quarterback threw three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter
to help rally his team from a 20-7 deficit against the Green Bay Packers.But
three missed field goals, including two in overtime, by rookie Daniel Carlson
hurt. So did a pass from Cousins that bounced off Laquon Treadwell's hands late
in the fourth quarter that was intercepted by Ha Ha Clinton-Dix.It added up to a
29-29 tie on Sunday."I don't know what to feel after a tie. I don't know how to
answer that
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425 yards. "It's a unique place to be and proud of the way that the whole team
... the way everybody stayed in it and fought."If only the Vikings could convert
one of those field goals into points.Carlson's 35-yarder as time expired in
overtime went right of the uprights, just like his kick from 49 earlier in
overtime. Carlson also missed from 48 in the second quarter."It's disappointing
when you've got an opportunity to win the football game there at the end and you
come up with a tie. It's better than a loss," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said.The
result at Lambeau Field overshadowed memorable performances by both
quarterbacks.Green Bay star Aaron Rodgers played with a brace on his injured
left knee and threw for 281 yards and a 9-yard touchdown pass to Davante Adams
.But a mishandled handoff with 5:17 left in overtime cost the Packers a chance
at another long field-goal attempt. Rodgers recovered the fumble on second-and-1
at the 37, and he was sacked on third down to push Green Bay back to the 47.He
wasn't happy about the tie either."Close to an 'L.' Doesn't feel great," Rodgers
said.Packers kicker Mason Crosby matched a career high with five field goals,
but his potential game-winner from 52 went wide left as time expired in
regulation.It was the second straight week with a tie in the NFL after the
Steelers and Browns played to a draw in their opener."It's gross. I don't like
it. Obviously, you hate losing. A tie is just weird," Crosby said.Some other
notes from the game:RODGERS' KNEERodgers played well given his injury. He was
sacked four times, though the protection held up relatively
well
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have his typical mobility that allows him to buy time for receivers, he was able
to move around enough to scramble out of trouble on occasion. Operating out of
shotgun or pistol formations also bought Rodgers more time.The quarterback isn't
sure whether he might follow a similar practice plan ahead of next week's game
against the Washington Redskins, though he said he expect to play each week.
He's not sure if the injury could linger all season.JUST FOR KICKERSCarlson said
he thought it might have been the first time he had missed three field goals in
a game. The last attempt from 35 was set up with the ball placed between the
hash marks, but Carlson still missed. Asked if he had to make a decision on a
new kicker, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said "I don't know. It's too early.
(General manager Rick Spielman) and I have barely talked yet."JUST FOR KICKERS
IICrosby almost had six field goals, but his first, successful attempt from 52
at the end of the regulation was erased because the Vikings called timeout right
before the snap.ROUGHING ITEverything seemed to go the Vikings' way in the
fourth, when they rallied from a 20-7 deficit. Until that point, the Packers had
put together the kind of complete performance needed to support Rodgers, who got
hurt in Green Bay's opening victory against Chicago. After getting a step on his
defender
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from Cousins with 31 seconds left just before a safety came over to help. A
2-point conversion tied the game at 29.The drive included a roughing-the-passer
penalty on Clay Matthews that negated an interception by Jaire Alexander with
1:45 left that would have allowed the Packers to run out the clock."I don't know
where to start, to be honest with you. I have so many emotions running through
as far as what a terrible call it was," Matthews said. "At the same time, I
don't know what else to do."Referee Tony Corrente said the call was not related
to the new helmet-to-helmet rule."He picked up the quarterback and drove him
into the ground," Corrente told a pool reporter.ALL TIED UPAccording to the NFL
, this is the first time since 1973 that there were two ties in the first two
weeks of the season. The Lions-Packers game, along with the Eagles-Giants game,
each ended a tie in the second week that year. It's also the first time in
league history that a game ended in a 29-29 tie.