MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- Todd Bouman, replacing the injured Daunte Culpepper, threw four touchdown passes Sunday and rookie Michael Bennett ran for two more scores as the Minnesota Vikings rallied for a 42-24 victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Culpepper was unable to go because of a sprained left knee, but Bouman helped Minnesota improve to 5-7 and keep its slim playoff hopes alive.
"Nobody can fill Daunte's shoes," Bouman said. "I got my role on this team and that's to go out and play when I'm needed. When he's healthy, he's going to play and that's the way it should be."
"Todd Bouman did an excellent job," Vikings coach Dennis Green said. "We made up our mind on Friday that he was going to start."
Facing a 10-0 deficit, Bouman threw a six-yard touchdown pass to tight end Byron Chamberlain with 7:40 left in the second quarter. Seven minutes later, Bouman hit Jake Reed with a 20-yard pass in the end zone, giving the Vikings the lead for good at 14-10.
Reed's catch completed a 10-play, 75-yard drive that included two first-down conversions on third and eight and third and 12.
Bennett added to the Vikings lead just 2:24 into the third quarter when he ran to his left for a 31-yard touchdown. He followed that up in the fourth period with a 10-yard score with 7:53 left to play. It was the first 100-yard game for Bennett, who was Minnesota's first-round pick.
Randy Moss caught seven passes for 158 yards and a touchdown to become the first player in NFL history to have more than 1,000 yards receiving in his first four seasons. Earlier in the week, Moss made headlines when he told the Nashville-based media that, "when I want to play, I'll play."
Despite his incredible receiving numbers, Moss often has been accused of slacking off on plays.
"People really don't understand what he says and that's fine," Bouman said. "He's going to go out and play hard and do what everyone asks him to do."
"I don't think it was a breakout performance," Minnesota receiver Cris Carter said. "That's what Randy does. He had opportunities and we got the ball to him."
Tennessee (5-7) had its postseason chances damaged with the loss and remais one game behind third-place Cleveland in the AFC Central.
The seven losses by the Titans are one more than they had over the past two seasons.
"We just have to come back to work and play," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "We are in a situation we haven't been in in a long time. You have to hold your head up high. The playoffs are not an issue right now."
Tennessee opened the scoring 6:54 into the game when Eddie George ran up the middle from 13 yards away for his third touchdown of the season.
After stopping the Vikings on the ensuing possession, Tennessee drove 59 yards on 10 plays and increased its lead to 10-0 when Joe Nedney kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:15 left in the quarter.
After the Titans took possession following Bennett's first touchdown, George took a handoff at his own 34 and ran three yards to his right. But Minnesota linebacker Lemanski Hall reached in and knocked the ball out of George's hands and fell on it at the 37, setting up a scoring chance for the Vikings.
Bouman connected with running back Doug Chapman on the first play following the fumble for a 37-yard touchdown, making it 28-10, with 10:29 left in the third.
"(Bouman) came out today and we know he was athletic," Tennessee safety Perry Phenix said. "And he made plays outside of the tackle box. He made a lot of plays with his feet."
Titans quarterback Steve McNair threw to Derrick Mason in the left corner of the end zone from 15 yards away 53 seconds into the final quarter with Mason had to barely keep his feet inbounds.
But Bennett answered for the Vikings with just under eight minutes remaining with his second touchdown of the game, making it 35-17.
McNair hooked up with Wycheck from nine yards away with 2:57 left before Moss caught a pass from Bouman at his own 28 and turned it into a 73-yard score with 2:35 to play.
