Vikings hold off Rodgers and the Jets for 23-17 win in London to improve to 5-0

LONDON (AP) — Aaron Rodgers had a message for Andrew Van Ginkel after the Vikings linebacker returned an interception 63 yards for a touchdown.

“He told me, too, ‘Christmas came early’ for me,” the humble Van Ginkel said. “I just told him ‘thank you.’”

Minnesota took two more gifts — interceptions — off Rodgers and stayed undefeated by holding on for a 23-17 win over the New York Jets at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Despite trailing 17-0 early, the Jets had a chance to drive for a potential winning score in the final minutes. But Stephon Gilmore intercepted Rodgers’ pass intended for Mike Williams and the Vikings improved to 5-0 for the first time since 2016.

Van Ginkel grabbed Rodgers’ quick slant before breaking a tackle and outrunning the Jets linemen down the sideline for a 63-yard score and a 10-0 lead. The linebacker also had a pick-6 in the season opener against Daniel Jones and the New York Giants.

“I couldn’t believe it happened,” the sixth-year linebacker said. “It's something that I just read and caught the ball.”

At some point in the second half, he said, “I kind of got close to him and he just made that comment to me.”

Rodgers threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Wilson to make it 20-17 with just over six minutes remaining before Vikings rookie kicker Will Reichard hit a 41-yard field goal — his third of the game. Wilson finished with a career-high 13 catches for 101 yards.

A slow start ultimately doomed the Jets (2-3).

Fullback C.J. Ham’s 2-yard run made it 17-0 before the Jets got back in the game when Rodgers found Allen Lazard for a 14-yard touchdown pass late in the first half.

Rodgers clutched his left leg after a big hit in the third quarter. But after a roughing the punter call, Rodgers immediately went back onto the field and drove the Jets to the Minnesota 14. They settled for Greg Zuerlein's 32-yard field goal to make it 17-10.

"They were trying to get me in the (medical) tent ... I said ‘Screw it, I’m going back out there,'” he said, describing the injury as a low ankle sprain.

Rodgers threw two first-quarter interceptions — a first for the four-time NFL MVP.

“In a game where you lose by six, plays like that are exponentially highlighted,” he said. "Three turnovers for me is definitely out of character, and I’m disappointed.”

The Jets offense struggled so much last week in a 10-9 loss to Denver that Rodgers and coach Robert Saleh spent much of this past week saying that their relationship is solid.

Reichard kicked a 53-yard field goal to give Minnesota a 20-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. He also had a 54-yarder and has yet to miss this season.

Sam Darnold, who was drafted by the Jets No. 3 overall in 2018, finished 14 of 31 for 179 yards with an interception and one fumble. Justin Jefferson had six receptions for 92 yards for the Vikings.

“We definitely left yards, points out there," Jefferson said. “We definitely need to fix some things.”

Rodgers was 29 of 54 for 244 yards, two touchdown passes and three interceptions.

The Vikings started the 2009 season 6-0 in Brett Favre’s first year with the team. After the 5-0 start in 2016, the Vikings finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs.

The Vikings are also the first team to go 4-0 in regular-season international games. All four victories have come in London. The New York Giants, who won the first London game in 2007, can match that perfect record next month when they face the Carolina Panthers in Munich, Germany.

The Jets also fell behind 17-0 the previous time they played in London when they lost to the Atlanta Falcons in 2021.

Rodgers became the ninth player in NFL history to throw for 60,000 yards in regular-season games on a 7-yard pass to Tyler Conklin in the third quarter. He also surpassed Hall of Famer Dan Marino for seventh on the NFL’s list for total yards passing in both regular-season and playoff games.

Rodgers now has 60,148 yards passing regular-season games.

Jets: CB Sauce Gardner was evaluated for a head injury in the third quarter after colliding with a teammate LB Quincy Williams, but returned late in the game ... CB Michael Carter II left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury and didn’t return ... LB C.J. Mosley (toe) was inactive after being limited in practice this week.

Vikings: RB Aaron Jones left in second quarter with a hip problem and was later ruled out. ... Darnold left for one play after taking a hit in his midsection in the first quarter. Nick Mullens completed a pass for a first down. Darnold returned and fumbled on the next play.

Jets: Host the Buffalo Bills next Monday night.

Vikings: Bye week before hosting the Detroit Lions on Sunday, Oct. 20.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Minnesota Vikings' Camryn Bynum (24), right, fights for the ball with New York Jets' Tyler Conklin (83), center, during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

New York Jets' Brandin Echols (26), right, celebrates his interception during the second half of an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold is introduced before an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Medical staff attend to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

New York Jets' Will McDonald IV, right, sacks Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Minnesota Vikings' Camryn Bynum, left, celebrates an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Minnesota Vikings' Camryn Bynum (24), second from left, celebrates an interception with teammates during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

New York Jets' Tony Adams, right, tackles Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8), right, is sacked by Minnesota Vikings' Harrison Phillips during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Minnesota Vikings' Andrew Van Ginkel celebrates as he scores after an interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Nearly a week after verbal stumbles in the only vice presidential debate, Democrat Tim Walz used his debut campaign appearance on a Sunday news show to try to fend off criticism of his stand on abortion rights and “own up” to past misstatements.

The interview on “Fox News Sunday” reflected a broader media blitz by presidential nominee Kamala Harris and her running mate as the Democrats seek to garner public attention in the final 30 days of the campaign against Republicans Donald Trump and JD Vance.

Harris has taped an interview with CBS' “60 Minutes" that will air Monday night. She is booked Tuesday on Howard Stern's satellite radio show, ABC's “The View” and “The Late Show" with Stephen Colbert on CBS. Her interview on the podcast “Call Her Daddy" is scheduled to be released later Sunday. Walz will be on Jimmy Kimmel's ABC show on Monday.

In an excerpt released from the “60 Minutes” interview, Harris tried to avoid the question of whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “a real close ally,” saying that "the better question is: Do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people? And the answer to that question is yes.”

Walz's Fox appearance also touched on the turmoil in the Middle East, with anchor Shannon Bream pressing the Minnesota governor on whether Israel has a right to preemptively attack Iran's nuclear and oil facilities in response to Tehran's firing of missiles against Israel. It was a question that Walz did not fully answer during his debate this past week with Vance, an Ohio senator.

Walz said Sunday that “specific operations will be dealt with at the time” and he spoke of ”consequences for what they do."

He said Israel has a right to defend itself and that Harris worked with Israel this past week to repel the Iranian attack. President Joe Biden said last week he would not support an Israeli strike on sites related to Tehran’s nuclear program.

Walz defended a law that he signed as governor to ensure abortion protections, saying it "puts the decision with the woman and her health care providers.”

Trump has said he would not sign a national abortion ban into law, and during the interview Sunday, Walz was asked whether he was calling that “a flat-out lie.”

“Yes ... of course,” Walz said.

On the economy, Walz said Harris' proposals would make life more affordable for the middle class by helping with the construction of 3 million new homes and expanding tax credits for parents. He said tariffs floated by Trump could increase costs by an estimated $4,000 a year on a typical family.

Walz also faced questions in the interview about misstatements pertaining to his military service, drunken driving arrest, infertility treatment for his family and claims to have been in Hong Kong before the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre in China.

“I will own up when I misspeak,” Walz said. “I will own up when I make a mistake.”

He said he believes voters are more concerned by the fact that Vance could not acknowledge during their debate that Trump lost the 2020 election to Biden and that there could be restrictions on the infertility treatment of intrauterine insemination that his wife, Gwen, received.

“I think they’re probably far more concerned with that than my wife and I used IUI to have our child and that Donald Trump would restrict that," Walz said. "So I think folks know who I am.”

Bream noted that Trump has come out in support of fertility treatments, even as he has said that abortion questions should be decided by states.

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force Two at Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Saturday, October 5, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C., after a briefing on the damage from Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz speaks during a campaign event in York, Pa., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)