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A32 sports
Diamars 15 september 2020

Vikings must keep foes from playing keepaway, as Packers did

(AP) — As they stumbled and-mediums, third-and- round, well ahead of Dant-
through their crowd-free longs and win those downs," zler, but he played only nine
season opener, the Min- safety Harrison Smith said. snaps on defense despite the
nesota Vikings set a fran- struggles by the trio in front
chise record for what they What needs help of him on the depth chart.
didn't do: keep the ball. Cornerbacks Mike Hughes,
By allowing Green Bay's Holton Hill and Cameron Injured
offense to be on the field Dantzler — all age 23 and Defensive end Danielle
for 41 minutes and 16 sec- younger — did little to pre- Hunter, placed on injured
onds, the Vikings made an vent or persuade Rodgers reserve because of a reported
undesirable mark with the from picking on them. neck problem, had his streak
opposite: an all-time low Dantzler, the third-round of 82 straight appearances
time of possession of 18:44 draft pick who had a standout — including the postseason
in a 43-34 loss. training camp, took the most — stopped. He must sit out
thus unable to unleash any have fans in the stadium, and snaps of any cornerback (64 at least two more games, but
“We're going to have games of its strengths. “We’ve got you’re not playing very good, of 78) and mostly looked like the Vikings have hinted at no
like that,” wide receiver to go out there and be in at- and it’s quiet — that’s how a rookie. With 14 seconds left timeline for his return.
Adam Thielen said, “and we tack mode at all times and it was today, all day,” coach in the second quarter, Dant-
have to make the most of make plays,” said Cook, Mike Zimmer said. zler stayed in stride with Key number
our limited opportunities.” who rushed 12 times for 50 Marquez Valdes-Scantling 522 — Total yards allowed by
In only four other contests yards, two touchdowns and What's working along the sideline but still al- the Vikings, their most in 29
since the NFL began tracking two 2-point conversions. With All-Pro middle line- lowed Rodgers to complete a regular-season games since
possession time in 1977 had “Some of those drives that we backer Eric Kendricks thriv- 45-yard touchdown pass for a Sept. 27, 2018, at Los Ange-
the Vikings kept the ball for missed in the second quar- ing in pass coverage and run 22-7 lead. les when the Rams racked up
less than 20 minutes. Their ter, we could have cleaned stopping, the Vikings were at STOCK UP Wide receiver 556 yards.
previous record (19:06) also those up and made it a better least true to past form around Adam Thielen, trying to
came at home against the game.” That's when the game the end zone. The Packers come back from a 2019 sea- Next steps
Packers in a 44-31 defeat on was largely lost. On their first had goal-to-go on their first son spoiled by a lingering Keeping the cornerbacks' mo-
Oct. 27, 2013. three possessions of the sec- two drives and got only three hamstring injury, and tasked rale up will be critical, with a
Kirk Cousins threw only two ond quarter, the Vikings ran points against a defense that with carrying a pass-catching daunting slate of opposing
passes in the first 29 minutes just two, three and two plays ranked second in the league group now missing his part- quarterbacks over the rest of
of the game and had just five — resulting in a safety, a punt in those situations last sea- ner Stefon Diggs, had six re- the first half of the schedule.
attempts before halftime, and an interception. The son, allowing touchdowns at ceptions for 110 yards, two That starts in Indianapolis
the fewest in his 89 career quick changes didn't do any a 55% rate. touchdowns and a 2-point on Sunday with Philip Riv-
regular-season starts. An of- favors for a suddenly young “But you’re not going to win conversion. ers and continues with Ryan
fense built around dual threat defense that was having its a lot of games where that’s all Tannehill, Deshaun Watson,
running back Dalvin Cook own trouble preventing you’re doing. You’ve got to Stock down Russell Wilson, Matt Ryan,
with a preference for play- Aaron Rodgers from mov- get them stopped on first and Rookie cornerback Jeff Glad- Rodgers again and Matthew
action and screen passes was ing the chains. “When you do second down, get into third- ney was drafted in the first Stafford.

Stunner from James helps big-spending Chelsea to opening win

the three points. quality and calmness. It’s a hampton.
“If we can get those points big ask — there’s a lot on his Its gruelling, 12-month
early, confidence builds, shoulders.” campaign in the 2019-20
we’ll have more time to Despite all the arrivals — season finished only on Aug.
work with the team, players Ben Chilwell, Hakim Zi- 11 in the Europa League
come back from injury and yech and Thiago Silva have quarterfinals, leaving Nuno
the new signings settle in, also been signed but were Espirito Santo's side just a
hopefully we can make big unavailable against Brighton 33-day break until the new
strides.” The pressure is on — Lampard still has an issue season.
Lampard to lead Chelsea to at goalkeeper. Yet, Wolves scored twice
a title challenge this season Kepa Arrizabalaga was pos- in the first six minutes —
after the club’s spree in the sibly at fault for Brighton’s through striker Raul Ji-
(AP)- After a spending he has class at both ends of transfer market. He was only 54th-minute equalizer after menez and center back Ro-
spree of $250 million on the field by smashing home able to start two of his six letting Leandro Trossard’s main Saiss — in its opening
some of Europe’s most a swerving piledriver from signings, though — attack- shot from outside the area game of the season and ran
exciting stars, Chelsea 30 meters that was the best ing midfielder Kai Havertz sneak into the far corner. out a comfortable 2-0 win-
was indebted to a won- and most crucial goal of a and striker Timo Werner, Signed in 2018 as the world’s ner at Sheffield United.
der strike from one of its 3-1 victory at Brighton on signed for a combined $160 most expensive keeper, Kepa “This was the first match
homegrown players dur- Monday. million. was dropped for spells of last that we had, a quick turn-
ing a win in its opening It regained the lead for season and his place could around. Very pleased," Es-
English Premier League Chelsea at 2-1 in the 56th Havertz showed a few neat be under threat if Chel- pirito Santo said. “The iden-
game. minute, 100 seconds after touches but was generally sea manages to sign a tar- tity of the players, the char-
Brighton equalized. James quiet, while Werner was get from Rennes, Edouard acter, the ways they worked,
Reece James, a 20-year-old then sent over the corner in more impressive, winning Mendy. the resilience at the end — it
defender who has been at the 66th which Kurt Zouma the penalty that Jorginho The wonderful strike by is very difficult.”
Chelsea since the age of met with a volley that de- converted to put Chelsea James quickly bailed Kepa After scoring 17 times last
6, looks to be a player ca- flected into the net, allowing ahead in the 23rd. “It’s not out, though. season, Jimenez needed just
pable of staying in the team Chelsea to ease to the three a game you come away from “It was maybe a game we three minutes to get off the
however much money the points. “Today is a good feel- and go, ‘Here were 10 vin- would have dropped points mark in the new one when
club spends in the coming ing for us, because it wasn’t tage moments,’” Lampard in last year,” Lampard said. he sidefooted home a cross
seasons. One of a slew of a great performance,” Chel- said of Havertz, who moved Wolves' fast start from Daniel Podence. Saiss
highly rated right backs to sea manager Frank Lampard for $92 million from Bayer If any team had an excuse doubled the lead with a
come through in England in said. “I’m not going to sit Leverkusen, “but I thought for making a slow start to header from a corner, and
recent years, James showed here and say that, but we got there were moments of real the season, it was Wolver- later struck the post.