MINNEAPOLIS — The Vikings offense received a boost it was looking for and put together multiple extended scoring drives, but it wasn't enough for Minnesota to record its first victory of 2020.
Minnesota fell victim to the foot of Stephen Gostkowski's six field goals — the last two of which were 54 and 55 yards — and a pair of touchdown plunges by Derrick Henry in a 31-30 loss to Tennessee on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings led by eight at halftime and 12 with 8:04 left in the third quarter but lost to a Titans team that has three victories this season by a combined six points.
Minnesota fell to 0-3 to open a season that way for the first time since 2013, the year before Head Coach Mike Zimmer was hired.
After Tennessee claimed a 25-24 lead with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter, Minnesota answered with a 10-play scoring drive capped when Kyle Rudolph reeled in a 3-yard pass from Kirk Cousins with one hand and got both feet in bounds.
The Vikings opted to go for 2, but Cousins' pass to Adam Thielen was incomplete, and the score remained 30-25.
Tennessee was able to keep Minnesota from scoring the rest of the way and put together a pair of drives for field goals.
The disappointing finish undid career highs of 181 rushing yards by Dalvin Cook and 175 receiving yards by rookie Justin Jefferson, whose day included a 71-yard touchdown catch.
Cousins finished 16 of 27 passing for 251 yards with three touchdowns, two interceptions and a passer rating of 96.4.
Henry finished with 119 yards on 26 carries.
Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill completed 23 of 37 passes for 321 yards with no touchdowns.
He was intercepted for the first time this season when Harrison Smith picked off a pass at the goal line. It was Smith's 24th interception of his career.
Scoring summary
Q1, 11:44 remaining
Titans 3, Vikings 0
Stephen Gostkowski kicks a 39-yard field goal [6 plays, 54 yards, 3:16 time of possession]
Defensive rally: The Vikings gave up a 44-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill on the second play of the game but rallied to limit the Titans to the 3-pointer. Harrison Smith drew a holding penalty to wipe away a run play, and Jeff Gladney speared tight end Jonnu Smith for a loss of 1 on first-and-20. The Titans were unable to convert a third-and-5 play when Shamar Stephen batted a Tannehill pass that the QB caught and ran with for no gain.
Q1, 6:01 remaining
Titans 6, Vikings 0
Gostkowski kicks a 31-yard field goal [4 plays, 7 yards, 0:52 time of possession]
Another stop: The Vikings defense responded to a fumble lost by Dalvin Cook and Tennessee possession that began at the Minnesota 20-yard line by forcing incompletions on second- and third-down plays from the Minnesota 13.
Q1, 2:43 remaining
Vikings 7, Titans 6
Cook rushes for 39 yards (Dan Bailey kicks PAT) [7 plays, 76 yards, 3:18 time of possession]
Moving the sticks: The Vikings converted a second-and-10 with an 11-yard run by Cook and two other second downs with completions to rookie Justin Jefferson before Cook found a crease and zoomed to the end zone. Cook picked up major blocks from Kyle Rudolph and on pulls by Dakota Dozier and Irv Smith, Jr. (check it out in the tweet below).
It was the second-longest touchdown run of Cook's career:
Q2, 8:56 remaining
Vikings 14, Titans 6
Adam Thielen catches a 16-yard pass from Kirk Cousins (Bailey kicks PAT) [10 plays, 88 yards, 5:52 time of possession]
1-2 punch: The score by Thielen immediately followed a 30-yard reception by Jefferson.
Q2, 3:18 remaining
Vikings 14, Titans 9
Gostkowski kicks a 30-yard field goal [12 plays, 63 yards, 5:38 time of possession]
Q2, 1:41 remaining
Vikings 17, Titans 9
Bailey kicks a 41-yard field goal [7 plays, 52 yards, 1:37 time of possession]
Q3, 8:57 remaining
Vikings 17, Titans 12
Gostkowski kicks a 51-yard field goal [5 plays, 28 yards, 1:18 time of possession]
Chunk plays: The Titans opened the drive with a 21-yard pass and 7-yard run to move into Gostkowski's range.
Q3, 8:04 remaining
Vikings 24, Titans 12
Jefferson catches a 71-yard pass from Cousins (Bailey kicks PAT) [2 plays, 73 yards, 0:53 time of possession]
Q3, 3:53 remaining
Vikings 24, Titans 19
Derrick Henry rushes for 1 yard (Gostkowski kicks PAT) [8 plays, 75 yards, 4:11 time of possession]
Q3, 1:22 remaining
Titans 25, Vikings 24
Henry rushes for 1 yard (2-point conversion pass no good) [3 plays, 65 yards, 1:17 time of possession]
Q4, 10:17 remaining
Vikings 30, Titans 25
Kyle Rudolph catches a 3-yard pass (2-point conversion pass no good) [10 plays, 75 yards, 6:05 time of possession]
Q4, 6:31 remaining
Vikings 30, Titans 28
Gostkowski kicks a 54-yard field goal [10 plays, 39 yards, 3:46 time of possession]
Q4, 1:44 remaining
Titans 31, Vikings 30
Gostkowski kicks a 55-yard field goal [9 plays, 44 yards, 1:58 time of possession]
