The two biggest plays of Sunday's game were made in the red zone by backup defenders who were only on the field because of injuries to players ahead of them.
On consecutive snaps late in the first half of a 7-7 game, Stephen Weatherly's tackle for loss at the 20-yard line was followed by Anthony Harris' forced fumble and recovery at the 1.
"Stephen's stop was great, and Anthony's was the play of the game," linebacker Anthony Barr said after the Vikings slammed the Rams 24-7 at U.S. Bank Stadium. "It changed the whole game. It could have been 14-7 at the half. And then our offense came out and went three-and-out to start the second half. It would have been a different game at that point."
The Vikings were reeling before Weatherly and Harris made their plays.
In a span of three snaps, Kai Forbath missed a 48-yard field goal and Barr was flagged for roughing the passer when he lowered his helmet and struck Jared Goff in the chest after he threw an incompletion.
In a blink, the Rams were in Vikings territory. And Barr was none too happy.
"The ref said I hit him with my helmet, but, I mean, I honestly don't know what else I'm supposed to do," Barr said. "I tried to move so I didn't hit him in the head, and they still called it. Whatever, man."
Never fear. In what has become a charmed season, when the steady kicker and the Pro Bowl linebacker hurt the team, guys named Weatherly and Harris are there to bail them out.
"My feeling is be ready, do your job and good things will happen," said Weatherly, who got extra reps at the end when Brian Robison sat because of a back injury.
