{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Football League
Minnesota 14, Pittsburgh 3
When: 8:00 PM ET, Sunday, August 9, 2015
Where: Fawcett Stadium, Canton, Ohio
Temperature: 79°
Head Official: Carl Cheffers
Attendance: 22364

CANTON, Ohio -- The Minnesota Vikings allowed only a field goal in the second quarter and opened the NFL preseason with a 14-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Hall of Fame Game on Sunday night.

Backup quarterback Mike Kafka threw a 34-yard touchdown pass to rookie tight end MyCole Pruitt in the second quarter, and running back Joe Banyard added a 1-yard score in the third quarter for Minnesota.

Rookie Stefon Diggs set up Banyard's run with a 62-yard punt return.

"Well, I don't know about electrifying, but I know the game is not too big for him," coach Mike Zimmer said of Diggs, according to the Star Tribune. "I like a lot of things about him. He wants to work."

Second-year Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed five of six passes for 44 yards in a brief showing the day after the 2015 Hall of Fame class was inducted at Canton. Bridgewater checked down for the majority of his completions. Bridgewater's lone drive ended with a failed fourth-and-1 rushing attempt.

Minnesota running back Matt Asiata had six carries for 30 yards.

The Steelers went wire to wire with Landry Jones at quarterback, as Ben Roethlisberger was among the stars who sat out the game for Pittsburgh. Running back Le'Veon Bell and wide receiver Antonio Brown also were idle.

"We're a work in progress," Steelers guard David DeCastro said. "I think we did some good things on the second drive and we got the ball moving. We didn't get it started on the first three-and-out but it happens sometimes. There's more than just one drive to a game, so it's a good test to overcome a little adversity."

Kafka led the Vikings to the game's first touchdown, guiding an eight-play, 81-yard drive in the middle of the second quarter. Kafka completed five of six passes in the sequence, including a 34-yarder to Pruitt for the score.

Kafka wound up 7-for-10 for 66 yards.

Jones completed 16 of 32 passes for 135 yards.

"We missed a few opportunities tonight," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

"I just wanted to see a winning performance. We come into these situations to win. He has room for improvement, obviously some of the game management things, delay of game, we can't have."

Pruitt caught four passes for 51 yards in his first professional game. Running back Dri Archer led the Steelers in rushing (four carries, 24 yards) and receiving (six catches, 33 yards).

Shaun Suisham opened the scoring with a 36-yard field goal in the second quarter, the Steelers' lone score. Tomlin said Suisham's left knee injury was "potentially significant."

NOTES: Vikings RB Adrian Peterson was in uniform but did not play. ... The Vikings were undefeated in the 2014 preseason. ... The Steelers play in the first game of the regular season at New England against the Super Bowl champion Patriots on Sept. 10. ... The Steelers' next preseason game is Friday against the Jaguars in Jacksonville. The Vikings play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Saturday. ... Longtime Steelers RB Jerome Bettis was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday and was greeted on the field before the game.
Top Game Performances
Rushing
Pittsburgh   Minnesota
Dri Archer Player Matt Asiata
4 Attempts 6
24 Yards 30
6.0 Avg Yards 5.0
0 Touchdowns 0
15 Long 18
Receiving
Pittsburgh   Minnesota
Shakim Phillips Player MyCole Pruitt
2 Receptions 4
43 Yards 51
21.5 Avg Yards 12.8
0 Touchdowns 1
35 Long 34
Team Stats Summary
 
  Yards Scoring Defense
Team Tot Rus Pas TD FG INT Sck FF
Pittsburgh 191 68 123 0 1 1 1.0 0
Minnesota 245 86 159 2 0 0 2.0 2
Upcoming Games
  • Minnesota will play their next game at home against Tampa Bay. The Vikings have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.
  • Pittsburgh will play their next game on the road against Jacksonville. The Steelers have a W/L % of .000 after a win and .000 after a loss.