Vikings rally to overcome Chinn's historic effort for Panthers

Kirk Cousins threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Chad Beebe with 46 seconds left and the Minnesota Vikings used a comeback for a 28-27 victory against the visiting Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.

The outcome wasn't secured until Joey Slye missed wide left on a 54-yard field goal with one second remaining. The result dampened a record-setting day for Panthers rookie safety Jeremy Chinn.

Chinn scored two touchdowns in an historic eight-second span early in the third quarter. There's no other documented situation in NFL history where the same defensive player scored touchdowns on back-to-back snaps.

Cousins was 34-for-45 for 304 yards and three touchdown throws.

Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, a former Vikings starter, went 19-for-36 for 267 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Bridgewater was back in action after sitting out Carolina's victory a week earlier against Detroit.

Chinn returned a fumble 17 yards for a touchdown after a Cousins sack on the third snap of the second half, giving the Panthers their first lead of the game. It was Carolina's first defensive touchdown of the season.

Then on Minnesota's next first-down play, Chinn stripped running back Dalvin Cook and raced in 28 yards for another touchdown and a 21-10 lead. Cook was helped off the field after the fumble, but he later returned to action.

It's the first time in franchise history that a Carolina defensive player had scored two touchdowns in a game.

The Panthers appeared ready to tack on more in the third quarter, but D.J. Wonnum blocked Slye's 28-yard field-goal attempt.

The teams traded field goals early in the fourth quarter.

Cousins threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson with 5:31 left, cutting the gap to 24-21 after a successful two-point conversion. But Beebe's muff on a punt return set up Slye's 21-yarder with 1:54 left before Minnesota's go-ahead final drive.

Cook, who entered the game second in NFL rushing with 1,069 yards this season, finished with 61 yards on 18 carries.

Dan Bailey's 53-yard field goal provided the Vikings a 10-7 halftime edge.

Cousins fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to Jefferson on Minnesota's opening drive.

The Panthers were even after Bridgewater connected with Robby Anderson on a 41-yard touchdown pass with 1:52 to play in the half.

--Field Level Media