The Vikings scored 21 unanswered points in a span of less than five minutes of game time to take a commanding lead and overcame a pair of turnovers in the second half for a 38-30 victory over the Redskins on Sunday at FedExField.

Adam Thielen caught a 7-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 left in the first half, and Minnesota made Washington pay for an interception on its next snap.

Mackensie Alexander recorded his first career interception and gave the Vikings the ball at the Redskins 23-yard line. Another first — David Morgan's first career touchdown — occurred three plays later with 22 seconds remaining in the half.

The Vikings continued their momentum in the second half with a six-play, 72-yard drive that ended with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Case Keenum to Jarius Wright with 12:22 left in the third quarter.

Keenum reached perfection as a passer in the third quarter with a maximum passer rating of 158.3 before throwing a pair of picks that deducted from the number and brought Washington back into the mix.

D.J. Swearinger came down with a jump ball that Keenum tried to loft to Kyle Rudolph in the third quarter, and undercut an out route to Rudolph. Swearinger returned the second interception 31 yards to the Minnesota 2.

Kirk Cousins scored on a 2-yard run two plays later to make it a 35-27 game with 14:47 left in the fourth quarter.

Minnesota's offense regained its composure, mounting a 13 play drive that covered 40 yards and consumed 7:02. It ended with a 53-yard field goal by Kai Forbath for a 38-27 Vikings lead with 7:45 left.

Washington was able to add a 56-yard field goal by Nick Rose with 1:14 left, but Rose's attempt at an onside kick didn't travel the required 10 yards and scooted out of bounds.

Keenum was able to kneel the ball from the victory formation as Minnesota improved to 7-2 on the season. He finished 21-of-29 passing for 304 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions for a rating of 117.

Thielen did the most damage through the air, totaling eight receptions for 166 yards (his second-best mark in a game) and a touchdown. Stefon Diggs added 78 yards and a score on four catches.

Cousins finished 26-of-45 passing for 327 yards with one touchdown pass, an interception and two touchdown runs.

The Vikings limited the Redskins to 5-of-14 on third downs, and the offense converted 8-of-12.

The Redskins got on the board early with a seven-play, 75-yard drive capped with a one-handed catch by Maurice Harris for a 36-yard touchdown.

The Vikings answered in a flash, thanks to a 51-yard pass from Keenum to Diggs, who beat Josh Norman on a double-move. Diggs started the drive with an 8-yard reception that was followed by a 14-yard run by Latavius Murray.

Minnesota went back to Murray after Diggs advanced the ball to the Washington 2-yard line. Murray gained 1 and 1 again for his second rushing touchdown as a Viking.

Washington took a 10-7 lead late in the first quarter when Nick Rose was true from 28 yards on a field goal that capped a 10-play, 52-yard drive.

Minnesota again quickly answered with a touchdown drive that was helped with a 38-yard completion to Thielen, a 10-yard run by Jerick McKinnon and a pair of receptions by Kyle Rudolph that totaled 16 yards. Keenum found Diggs on an out route for a 3-yard touchdown on third-and-goal for a 14-10 lead with 11:45 remaining.

Diggs, however, used the goal post in his celebration, running and wrapping his arms and legs on the padding, and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The 15 penalty yards were enforced on the ensuing kickoff, and Washington started its next possession at the 40.

Cousins gave the Redskins a 17-14 lead with 4:37 remaining on a 1-yard quarterback sneak. Washington converted first-and-20 with a 32-yard pass to Jamison Crowder and fourth-and-1 with a 4-yard run by Samaje Perine to reach the end zone.