CARSON, Calif. — Vikings fans invaded Dignity Health Sports Park on Sunday, and it was mostly a festive atmosphere. However, an injury to Dalvin Cook dampened the mood.
The Vikings’ star running back was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury early in the third quarter of a 39-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. It was the second time in three weeks he had to leave the game in the third quarter with what was termed a shoulder injury.
The sellout crowd of 25,446 appeared to be about three-fourths Vikings fans. They did the Skol chant regularly and cheered as their team forced seven turnovers, their most since 1995.
The Chargers’ fourth turnover, a Melvin Gordon fumble on the first play of the second half, was recovered by Danielle Hunter at the Chargers 26. Two plays later, Cook was injured when he was dropped for a 3-yard loss by linebacker Denzel Perryman.
In a 37-30 loss at Seattle on Dec. 2, Cook was also lost for the game in the third quarter with what was termed a shoulder injury before later being updated to a chest injury. He returned to play Dec. 8 against Detroit.
Cook looked to be in a good bit of pain when he was on the ground and helped off the field. He watched the second half standing on the sideline.
Cook didn’t speak to the media after the game. Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said he had no update on the injury but said it was a different injury than the one Cook previously suffered.
“You want to preach that next-man-up mind-set, but that’s neither here nor there. (Cook’s) my guy,” said Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who caught four passes for 76 yards and, with 1,073 now, reached 1,000 yards for the second straight season. “I never want to see him go down. He’s a tough football player, and we’ve just got to keep it rolling.”
The Viking kept rolling throughout Sunday’s game thanks to all the Chargers’ turnovers. The biggest one came in the final minute of the first half.
With 23 seconds left and the Chargers facing second-and-2 at the Minnesota 26, quarterback Philip Rivers was sacked by Hunter and fumbled. Chargers running back Austin Ekeler picked up the loose ball but was hit by linebacker Eric Kendricks, and the ball popped loose again. Defensive lineman Ifeadi Odenigbo scooped it up and ran 56 yards for a touchdown that put the Vikings up 19-10 with seven seconds remaining.
“That was huge,” Kendricks said. “We were so thirsty for turnovers all day, and I think everybody kind of felt like we were going to score.”
That was the Chargers’ third turnover; they added four more in the second half. Overall, they lost four fumbles and Rivers had three passes intercepted — by Harrison Smith, Mike Hughes and Anthony Harris.
“That was crazy,” Kendricks said. “Every time I looked up, the ball was on the ground.”
In the second half, the Vikings outscored the Chargers 20-0. They got two field goals in the third quarter by Dan Bailey, who finished with four. And Mike Boone had touchdown runs in the fourth quarter of 8 and 2 yards.
With backup running back Alexander Mattison out with an ankle injury, Boone took over for Cook and finished with 56 yards on 13 carries. Cook carried nine times for 27 yards.
“I thought we played really well,” Zimmer said. “I thought Boone came in and ran hard, and defensively it was nice to see us get some turnovers.”
The Vikings (10-4) lowered their magic number for clinching a playoff spot to one over the Los Angeles Rams (8-6), who lost 44-21 at Dallas. If the Rams lose Saturday night at San Francisco, Minnesota will clinch at least a wild-card spot before taking the field next Monday against Green Bay (11-3) at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Vikings’ chances to win the NFC North are not good because the Packers would win a tiebreaker if one is needed.
“We’re just worried about ourselves, getting better,” Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr said. “Hopefully, we can continue to ride this momentum.”
Barr, who grew up in Los Angeles and starred at UCLA, was thrilled to see all the Vikings fans on hand.
“It was like a home game for us,” he said.
On offense, quarterback Kirk Cousins had little trouble calling signals due to so many Vikings fans on hand and being in a small stadium. Cousins completed 19 of 27 passes for 207 yards with one touchdown and an interception. He had a screen pass late in the second quarter picked off by defensive end Melvin Ingram but on the ensuing possession Odenigbo returned the Chargers fumble for a touchdown.
Cousins’ touchdown pass to tight end Irv Smith Jr. on the first possession put Minnesota up 6-0. Bailey missed the extra point.
The Chargers (5-9) took a brief 10-9 lead midway through the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Mike Williams. However, they never scored again.
“Seven turnovers,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said to start his news conference after the game. “We got our butt kicked in all three phases. Any questions?”
Vikings wide receiver Adam Thielen returned after missing four straight games and five of the past six with a hamstring injury. He caught three passes for 27 yards.
Thielen said it was “good to be back out there” but he also was thinking Cook getting hurt again.
“It’s tough to see him go out, but we know how tough he is,” Thielen said. “He’s a fighter.”