DUBLIN — A lengthy trip across the Atlantic represented a chance for the Vikings to get rolling with a pair of games that looked winnable on paper. Instead, the Vikings stumbled out of the gates on Sunday afternoon at Croke Park, feeling like they had left something on the table.

A furious comeback by the Vikings died its final death when veteran Carson Wentz threw incomplete to receiver Jalen Nailor in the final seconds, pulling the curtain on a 24-21 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

On the final drive, though, Wentz was called for intentional grounding, and the team was penalized for a clock violation, which proved costly as the Vikings were trying to get into field goal range

It was an up-and-down performance from Wentz, who completed 30 of 46 pass attempts for 350 yards a pair of touchdowns and a pair of interceptions. Some of the struggles were due to pressure. He was sacked a half dozen times while playing behind a tattered offensive line that lost center Ryan Kelly to a concussion and right tackle Brian O’Neill knee injury.

On the other end, future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers was efficient, completing 18 of 22 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown. He did most of his damage early while helping the Steelers build a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Some of highlights from the legendary stadium in Dublin had nothing to do with the game itself.

The rendition of the country’s national anthem by Irish singer Lyra brought the house down before kickoff. The crowd later provided a memorable moment with a rousing singalong to “Zombie” by the Irish rock band The Cranberries during a break in the action.

As for the Vikings, they couldn’t get into a rhythm for most of the game, looking like a shell of themselves on offense while also getting got carved up on defense.

The game started pretty well for the Vikings as they forced a punt defense, then parlayed that into an effective drive on offense. It stalled out short of the red zone however, and Reichard nailed a field goal to make it 3-0.

On the next drive, Rodgers shredded the Vikings with his arm, marching the Steelers down the field before running back Kenneth Gainwell plunged into the end zone to make it 7-3.

After methodically working the ball down the field, Rodgers took a different approach on the next drive, this time throwing a slant to receiver DK Metcalf, who took it  80 yards for touchdown to help the Steelers stretch their lead to 14-3.

It looked like the Steelers were about to take a commanding lead before halftime when the Vikings got a boost from a couple of their breakout stars on defense. There was a sack from defensive tackle Jalen Redmond followed by a blocked field goal from cornerback Isaiah Rodgers that kept points off the board.

That gave the Vikings the ball back before halftime and after a solid drive by Wentz they got another field goal from Reichard to make it 14-6 at halftime. The deficit felt like it could’ve been much worse given how everything was going for the Vikings at that point.

After the Steelers pushed their lead to 24-6 following another touchdown from Gainwell and a field goal from kicker Chris Boswell, the Vikings finally showed some fight, battling back with a pair of scoring drives to keep the game interesting.

The comeback attempt started with a touchdown pass from Wentz to running back Zavier Scott to cut the deficit to 24-14. It continued when Wentz found receiver Jordan Addison for a long gain that set up a touchdown pass to receiver Jalen Nailor to make it 24-21.

It was too little too late for the Vikings.

Though they got the ball back with a chance to tie the game, Wentz couldn’t get the Vikings in field goal range.

Now the Vikings must travel from Dublin to London for a game against the Cleveland Browns next weekend that they can’t afford to lose.

Related Articles

Photos: Vikings vs. Steelers in Dublin

The Loop Fantasy Football Update Week 4: Last-minute moves

How the Vikings have used the ‘Peanut Punch’ to create NFL-best 7 fumbles

Shipley: Dublin game now about Carson Wentz, not Aaron Rodgers

How the Vikings prepared for their 10-day trip to Dublin and London

P.J. Fleck referred to himself as Greg Schiano’s “little brother” in the build-up to Saturday’s Big Ten game at Huntington Bank Stadium.

Like siblings, the Gophers and Rutgers head coaches “get into it” from time to time, sometimes “fighting over (assistant) coaches,” as Fleck put it on the KFAN pregame show.

The Rutgers head coach nabbed offensive coordinator Kirk Ciarrocca away from Minnesota after the 2022 season. Then Fleck, who is 15 years younger than Schiano, tabbed Knights linebackers coach Corey Hetherman to be the U’s defensive coordinator for one year in 2024.

There wasn’t much of  a squabble over Robb Smith after Fleck fired him as defensive coordinator in 2018, and Smith reunited with Schiano for a third time as D.C. this season.

After the Gophers’ 31-28 win over Rutgers, Schiano and Fleck used the sentiment of “Tommy Boy,” that “brothers gotta hug” like Chris Farley and Rob Lowe’s characters did in the 1990s comedy. The two coaches embraced at midfield after the Gophers’ comeback win put them at 1-0 in Big Ten play before a trip to No 1-ranked Ohio State on Saturday night.

“It’s like looking in a mirror,” Fleck said of Rutgers postgame. “I’ve got a lot of respect for Rutgers, lot of respect for their coaching staff. We know them very well, and I wouldn’t be where I am without them. Simply that, whether it’s Kirk or Greg or Joe Susan (Rutgers’ special assistant to the head coach). I can go on and on.”

After Rutgers took a 14-0 lead early in the second half, Fleck and his coordinators Greg Harbaugh and Danny Collins — both younger and more inexperienced than their counterparts — made vital adjustments to stake the Gophers’ biggest home comeback since 1992.

Former U quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis completed his first nine passes, two for touchdowns. It was coming easily for him, talking only one sack and finding openings in the Gophers’ coverage with deep out routes. The Rutgers QB was stacking up chunk plays.

Fleck credited Collins with mixing up some coverages with “completely different looks.” While they blitzed regularly, Fleck said they also needed to get to Kaliakmanis with four rushers to shrink the pocket.

Defensive end Anthony Smith did a “tremendous job of that,” with seven pressures and 1½ sacks. The Gophers finished with seven sacks.

The Gophers, however, struggled to tackle, with Pro Football Focus totaling 17 missed tackles. The lowlight came with at least three missed tackles as running back Antwan Raymond was able picked up 20 yards on third-and-15. Two plays later, Raymond scored from four yards out to give Rutgers a 28-24 fourth-quarter lead.

On offense, the Gophers struggled on the opening two drives with a three-and-out and a five-play drive. So, to begin the third series, Harbuagh called a deep post route to Jalen Smith. Drake Lindsey put it on the money and the 78-yard completion became the longest pass play in the history of Huntington Bank Stadium.

“We were a completely different team in the second half, as you saw, Fleck said. “We had to get away a little bit from the run.”

Minnesota ran the ball nine times in each half, but had 13 passes in the first half compared to 28 in the second.

The Gophers’ run game is a concern going into a daunting matchup against the defending national champion Buckeyes. Without top tailbacks Darius Taylor and A.J. Turner available on Saturday, Fame Ijeboi and Cam Davis averaged 3.0 yards per carry, and only one offensive lineman, left tackle Nathan Roy, has a run-blocking grade above the average mark of 60.0.

To start the second half, the Gophers’ used a quick-tempo passing game, and on the opening drive, Lindsey went 8 for 11 for 76 yards and a 9-yard touchdown to Smith to tie the game at 21-21.

During the game, Harbaugh used motions and shifts to decipher whether Robb Smith’s defense was in man or zone coverage.

“I thought Greg did a great job of being able to peel back the onion and give Drake the keys,” Fleck said.

Related Articles

Gophers football: Why were players and coaches barking after Rutgers win?

Gophers stake fourth-quarter comeback to beat Rutgers 31-28

Gophers lose one running back for the season, and starter for another week

Will Gophers star Koi Perich’s role on offense be scaled back?

Get to know Gophers wideout Le’Meke Brockington

Here are some photos from the Vikings and Steelers game in Dublin on Sunday.

Related Articles

How the Vikings prepared for their 10-day trip to Dublin and London

Shipley: Dublin game now about Carson Wentz, not Aaron Rodgers

Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve suspended by WNBA for officiating remarks

Gophers football: Why were players and coaches barking after Rutgers win?

By ISABELLA VOLMERT and COREY WILLIAMS

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — A gunman opened fire inside a Mormon church in Michigan during Sunday services before apparently setting the building ablaze, killing at least one person and injuring nine before police shot him, authorities said

Hundreds of people were inside The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grand Blanc Township when a 40-year-old man rammed a pickup truck through the front door, then got out of the vehicle and started shooting, police Chief William Renye told reporters. Police believe he “deliberately” set the building on fire.

After the suspect left the church, two officers pursued him and “engaged in gunfire,” Renye said. The man was killed.

Flames and smoke could be seen pouring from the church for hours before the blaze was put out. First responders were then sifting through the wreckage.

“We do believe we will find some additional victims once we find the area where the fire was,” Renye said.

Police said they did not yet have a motive for the fire or shooting. Investigators are searching the suspect’s residence in nearby Burton. Authorities did not provide any additional details about the suspect, including whether he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

President Donald Trump said he was briefed on the shooting. In a social media post, he applauded the FBI, who local authorities said are sending 100 agents to the area, for responding.

“PRAY for the victims, and their families. THIS EPIDEMIC OF VIOLENCE IN OUR COUNTRY MUST END, IMMEDIATELY!” Trump wrote.

The church building, circled by a parking lot and a large lawn, is near residential areas and a Jehovah’s Witness church.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement that her heart was breaking for the community. “Violence anywhere especially in a place of worship, is unacceptable,” she said.

The shooting occurred the morning after Russell M. Nelson, the oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died at 101. The next president of the faith is expected to be Dallin H. Oaks, per church protocol.

“The church is in communication with local law enforcement as the investigation continues and as we receive updates on the condition of those affected,” Doug Anderson, a spokesperson for Utah-based faith said in a statement.

“Places of worship are meant to be sanctuaries of peacemaking, prayer and connection. We pray for peace and healing for all involved.”

Some striking nurses at nearby Henry Ford Hospital left the picket line and ran the short distance to the church to help first responders, Teamsters Local 332 President Dan Glass learned about the shooting.

“Human lives matter more than our labor dispute.” Glass said.

___

Associated Press reporters Safiyah Riddle in Montgomery, Alabama, and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.