The last time Isaiah Rodgers was at U.S. Bank Stadium (prior to this season), he was a part of NFL history.
Unfortunately for Rodgers, he was on the other side of it that day during the 2022 season; the cornerback was a member of an Indianapolis Colts team that saw the Minnesota Vikings rally from a 33-0 halftime deficit and earn a 39-36 overtime victory, completing the largest comeback ever seen in the sport.
It’s certainly a half of football that Rodgers would rather forget. On Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, he replaced it with one he’ll always remember.
Rodgers’ “spectacular” performance – highlighted by an 87-yard pick six, a forced fumble and recovery he took 66 yards the other way for a score, and another fumble he caused (all in the first half) – helped the Vikings rout the Bengals 48-10.
Rodgers not only became the first NFL player (since at least 1991 when forced fumbles became part of the full play-by-play data) with two defensive scores and forced fumbles in the same game, he became the first player in Vikings history to record a pair of defensive touchdowns in a single contest. Coincidentally, during that 2022 game against the Colts, Rodgers nearly witnessed former Vikings CB Chandon Sullivan return two fumbles for touchdowns, only for both plays to be called back (one ruled for forward progress and the other ruled down by contact).
Sunday’s victory not only lifted Minnesota into a tie for first in the NFC North with Detroit and Green Bay, but it helped the Vikings move up in this week’s power rankings. Here’s a look at where the Vikings landed heading into Week 4: