Cleveland’s All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett tipped a cap to the Vikings for limiting him to just three tackles and no sacks. Garrett had an 11-game streak with at least one tackle for a loss, which ended Sunday.
“Especially in the second half, they were chipping on both sides, so it made it difficult to get there,” Garrett said. “It takes a lot to battle through, too, and they made sure, at least tried to make sure, to get the ball out quickly.”
Right guard Will Fries, the only offensive line starter left in the fourth quarter, said “it all starts” with Blake Brandel, who made his first career start at center.
“He did a great job communicating,” Fries said. “Super tough, super smart. It shows how mentally tough he is.”
Running back Cam Akers was a star quarterback in high school in Clinton, Miss., once throwing for over 3,000 yards in a season.
That background came in handy for the practice-squad runner, who was elevated for Sunday’s game into a critical role. The Vikings waived quarterback Desmond Ridder for a roster spot Saturday, and they prepared Akers to do more than trick plays if necessary.