Minnesota Vikings halftime: Redskins lead 17-9 

Minnesota Vikings halftime: Redskins lead 17-9

Oct 14, 2012 (Menafn - Pioneer Press - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --LANDOVER, Md. -- A sudden second-quarter collapse left the Vikings trailing at halftime to the rejuvenated Redskins.

Washington scored two touchdowns in a 13-second span in the waning minutes of the second quarter to open a 17-9 lead at FedEx Field.

A costly Christian Ponder fumble with 2:20 remaining gave the Redskins possession at Minnesota's 6-yard line, and on the next play, Darrell Young hauled in a touchdown pass from Robert Griffin III.

Before linebacker Perry Riley recovered Ponder's fumble, the Redskins had just taken a 10-9 lead on Alfred Morris' 1-yard scoring plunge with 2:27 remaining. The touchdown capped an impressive 11-play, 90-yard drive by Griffin that ignited Washington's sedated offense.

The Vikings had controlled the tempo and the clock in opening a 9-0 lead but they left an awful lot of points on the table. Three times they drove into the red zone only to settle for three Blair Walsh field goals (20 yards and two 27-yarders).

The Vikings have scored all 18 times they have breached their opponents' 20-yard line but have only six touchdowns to show for it.

Kicker Kai Forbath, whom Washington signed last week after cutting inefficient veteran Billy Cundiff, was successful in his first NFL attempt, a 50-yarder that cut Minnesota's initial lead to 9-3.

Follow Brian Murphy on twitter.com/bmurphPiPress.

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