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Saturday, Aug. 5 8:00pm ET
Saints beat distracted Vikings | |||||
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BOX SCORE
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- After Minnesota went ahead on a field goal with 1:29 remaining, Andrew Jordan looked across the field at his former teammate and motioned for New Orleans receiver Jake Reed to look at the scoreboard. Reed tried to return the jab after Doug Brien's fourth field goal, a 49-yarder as time expired, lifted the Saints to a 25-24 preseason victory over the Vikings on Saturday night. "But after that last field goal, I couldn't find him," said Reed, who caught a touchdown pass in his return to the Metrodome. Forgive the Vikings if they had other matters on their minds. The Vikings and their fans were discouraged even before Brien's kick sailed through the uprights. Star receiver Randy Moss injured his left shoulder in the first half and left the Metrodome in the fourth quarter for an MRI. X-rays didn't reveal any broken bones on Moss, the NFL's offensive rookie of the year in 1998 and the most outstanding player of the 2000 Pro Bowl, Vikings trainer Chuck Barta said. But MRIs were ordered on the shoulder capsule and his ribs, which were bruised. Results are expected Sunday. "I don't even want to guess," Barta said of the possibility that the MRIs would show a dislocation or separation. Moss's injury soured an excellent debut by Daunte Culpepper as the Vikings' new starting quarterback. "I'm very concerned about No. 84," Culpepper said. "He's a good friend of mine. He's a guy who's going to make a lot of plays." One of the NFL's brightest young stars as he enters his third season, Moss injured his left shoulder when he landed awkwardly out of bounds as he dived for the end zone at the end of a 55-yard pass play just before halftime. "We're hoping it's just a bruise," Vikings coach Dennis Green said. Robert Smith said he wasn't worried. "I think Randy's going to be OK. A lot of guys get MRIs," he said. Before Moss's injury -- and Brien's game-winning field goal -- it was a night of celebration for the revamped Vikings. Culpepper was coolheaded and sharp, in stark contrast to his only extended action last year, a five-sack fiasco in an exhibition against the Giants. He deftly avoided the pass rush and made excellent decisions, completing 8 of 14 passes for 140 yards and a touchdown. He also ran three times for 29 yards, and was intercepted once, by Fred Weary off a deflected pass in the end zone. In the second quarter, Culpepper dumped a short screen to Moe Williams, who ran 24 yards down the right sideline for a touchdown that tied it at 7, then set up Jim Kleinsasser's 2-yard TD rumble with a 55-yard connection to Moss for a 14-7 lead. Moss, who rumbled about 40 yards on the play, had designs on the end zone. As the Saints closed in on him, he hurdled one defender at the 5 and fell out of bounds, landing awkwardly on his left shoulder. Gary Anderson gave Minnesota a 24-22 lead with a 40-yard field goal with 1:29 left. But Brien, who was good from 36, 24 and 23 yards, nailed the 49-yarder with plenty of room to spare. "It's not a real game, but it was nice to get him that first win," Brien said of new coach Jim Haslett's first victory. And it was especially sweet for Reed, who punctuated his return with a 12-yard TD reception from Jeff Blake. "It feels good to get that one on them," Reed said. "I think everyone here wanted to win. But I really wanted to win." | ALSO SEE NFL Scoreboard New Orleans Clubhouse Minnesota Clubhouse Vikings relieved that Moss' injury not serious
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