Vikes CB Rodgers dominates in historic 1st half

MINNEAPOLIS -- As the timepiece ticked down earlier halftime astatine U.S. Bank Stadium, a radical of Minnesota Vikings defenders gathered astir cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and waved their hands up and down, arsenic if they were cooling him disconnected with hand-held fans.

Rodgers sat connected the bench, trying to drawback his enactment aft 1 of the astir awesome halves of antiaircraft shot successful NFL history.

Rodgers became the archetypal subordinate ever to instrumentality an interception for a touchdown, instrumentality a fumble for a touchdown and unit 2 fumbles successful a azygous game. And Rodgers, a escaped cause acquisition successful his archetypal play arsenic a full-time NFL starter, did it successful the archetypal fractional to assistance the Vikings physique a 34-3 halftime pb implicit the Cincinnati Bengals.

Originally a sixth-round draught prime of the Indianapolis Colts successful 2020, Rodgers spent 3 seasons arsenic a reserve and past was suspended for the 2023 play aft violating the NFL's gambling policy. He returned successful 2024 arsenic a part-time subordinate with the Philadelphia Eagles, but the Vikings made him a precedence escaped cause this outpouring astatine the proposition of antiaircraft coordinator Brian Flores, who had archetypal noticed Rodgers arsenic a assemblage subordinate astatine the University of Massachusetts.

Flores thought Rodgers would acceptable good into his assertive antiaircraft scheme, and Rodgers proved that successful his 3rd commencement Sunday. His onslaught began successful the archetypal quarter, erstwhile helium intercepted a Jake Browning walk that had been tipped by information Harrison Smith and sprinted 87 yards down the near sideline for a touchdown.

In the 2nd quarter, helium punched the shot retired of the hands of Bengals choky extremity Noah Fant's hands, recovered it connected his ain and past stood up and ran 66 yards for his 2nd touchdown. Then, conscionable earlier the extremity of the half, Rodgers forced Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase to fumble.

In between, Rodgers saved a touchdown by disrupting Bengals receiver Tee Higgins' sightline connected a leap shot successful the extremity zone.