(AP) — There was no letdown for the Minnesota Vikings, and that meant no chance for the Washington Redskins.
After taking a bye week to bask in their big win at Green Bay, the unbeaten Vikings avoided the stumble that has bedeviled them in recent seasons with an emphatic victory Sunday.
Randall Cunningham threw two touchdown passes and Leroy Hoard ran for two as the Vikings scored 41 consecutive points for a 41-7 triumph, continuing their best start since 1975.
Throw in a dominating defensive performance that included five sacks, and Minnesota (6-0) showed even more about its character than it did by beating the Packers two Mondays ago.
“I don’t think there’s any question about it,” said Robert Smith, who ran for 103 yards and a touchdown. “It’s easy to get up for a game like Monday night against Green Bay at Lambeau Field. But can you get up against a team that hasn’t won a game all year? We showed we can do it, but this test is over. It’s time for a new one.”
That will be next week’s trip to Detroit. Meanwhile, the hapless Redskins (0-7), who are closing in on the franchise-worst 0-9 start of 1961, have next weekend off.
Despite their problems — and Washington has a bunch — the Redskins were the kind of team that has given the Vikings trouble in past years when they were coming off important wins. Coach Dennis Green admitted after the game that he was worried how his team would respond.
“I was a little edgy this week,” Green said. “I wanted to make sure we picked up where we left off.”
Cunningham, who was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week after his last two games, finished 20-for-34 for 259 yards and the two TDs before Jay Fiedler came on with 9:09 left in the game. Cunningham now has 12 TDs and no interceptions in four-plus games in relief of injured starter Brad Johnson, who is expected to miss at least one more game.
Receiver Cris Carter had five catches for 109 yards as the Vikings opened a two-game lead over the Packers in the NFC Central.