Maybe the Minnesota Vikings were feeling lucky on their first drive.
They had forced a three-and-out on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first possession, then reeled off five-straight positive plays in response. Jordan Mason looked like he might make it six when he took off for seven yards on second-and-four.
However, Chuck Clark forced the ball loose, and Jalen Ramsey returned it 62 yards for a touchdown. Ramsey feigned a hamstring injury as he reached the end zone and hit the griddy, only to have the officials review the play and call it back.
Chaos.
– Jordan Mason picks up a 1st down, then fumbles.
– Jalen Ramsey runs it back for a TD.
– Looks like he pulls his hamstring…
– Nope — he hits the Griddy
– Then they review: Mason was out of bounds touching the ball, so it’s still MIN ball.— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 28, 2025
Carson Wentz hit Justin Jefferson for a 22-yard pass on the next possession, but the Vikings only scored three on the drive. It was a microcosm of Minnesota’s 24-21 loss in Dublin. The Vikings had their fair share of luck, but they couldn’t cash in on it.
“[We] had a chance to still win the football game in the end because our guys compete until the very end,” said Kevin O’Connell. “[We] just didn’t find a way to get it done.”
After losing Ryan Kelly and Brian O’Neill to injury, the Vikings appeared poised to exit their first of two international games this season with an Irish goodbye. The Steelers converted a field goal to go up 24-6 with 11:18 left to go in the game. Pittsburgh’s pressure repeatedly penetrated Minnesota’s offensive line, sacking Wentz four times on third down alone.
“We got down early, so we ended up throwing the ball quite a bit, so it’s always tough on the O-line and everything,” said Wentz. “There was definitely times I could have got rid of the ball quicker and gone through my progressions faster.”
However, Wentz led the Vikings on a nine-play, 70-yard drive to make it 24-14 Steelers with 7:50 left in the fourth. It culminated in Wentz scrambling and finding Zavier Scott for a toe-tap touchdown reception in the end zone.
Pittsburgh took 3:41 off the clock with a nine-play, 64-yard drive. However, Mike Tomlin opted to go for it on fourth-and-goal from Minnesota’s three-yard line. The Vikings’ defense stopped Kenneth Gainwell short, keeping the game alive with 4:14 left to play.
From Minnesota’s 18-yard line, Wentz found Jordan Addison wide open deep downfield. Addison caught the pass while backpedaling. However, linebacker Payton Wilson caught him before the end zone. The Vikings ran four plays before scoring, taking 43 seconds off the clock.
The Vikings couldn’t convert the onside kick but forced a three-and-out. Pittsburgh punted it through the end zone instead of pinning Minnesota deep, giving the Vikings the ball back with 1:02 left in the game.
It looked like Minnesota’s comeback would be short-lived when James Pierre easily picked Wentz’s pass first pass of the drive. However, the officials overturned the interception, and Pittsburgh took a penalty on consecutive plays. Wentz completed a short pass to Scott to convert a first-and-five, setting up a new set of downs from Minnesota’s 39 yard line.
Still, the Vikings failed to capitalize on ther good fortune. Wentz took an intentional grounding penalty after facing pressure on first down. After completing a 14-yard pass to T.J. Hockenson, he spiked the ball on third-and-12, then took a delay of game penalty.
O’Connell noted after the game that there wasn’t a play clock in the south end zone, where the Vikings were facing in the fourth quarter.
“It was a unique thing about coming to play here,” he said, “and then you find out about three minutes before the kickoff that that end zone’s game clock and play clock would be turned off for the day.”
“That’s on me,” Wentz said. “I’ve got to be quicker in and out.”
On the next play, Wentz missed Addison on fourth down, ending the game.
O’Connell rued Minnesota’s eight penalties and losing the turnover battle 2-0. However, the got multiple breaks throughout the game and didn’t capitalize. They easily could have had two more turnovers, Scott made an impressive catch for a depth running back, and Pittsburgh made some perplexing plays on special teams.
The road to victory rose to meet the Vikings, but they refused to take it. They’ll be left to wonder what could have been if they had capitalized on multiple opportunities. Ultimately, Minnesota ran out of luck in the Fair City.