Dec. 10 (UPI) -- Running back Dalvin Cook made an early return from a shoulder injury and ran for 205 yards and two scores to lead the Minnesota Vikings to a 36-28 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Minneapolis.
"He's a warrior," Vikings coach Mike Zimmer said of Cook. "He comes out and competes. He's a great leader. He's a great competitor. He wants to play."
The Vikings defense also held off a late Steelers rally to earn the victory Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Vikings safety Harrison Smith broke up Ben Roethlisberger pass in the end zone as time expired, denying the Steelers of a potential game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion.
Cook, who wore a harness on his dislocated left shoulder, provided the pristine performance just 11 days after he was carted off the field during a loss to the San Francisco 49ers.
"If I had 75 yards and we got a win, I'd be up here saying the same thing. I just want to win, and I know this team has got the same desire I've got," Cook told reporters.
"We just want to win games."
Cook set a franchise record with 153 rushing yards in the first half. The Vikings led 29-0 midway through the third quarter. The Steelers responded with 20 unanswered points and cut the deficit to eight points with 4:14 remaining.
They forced a punt on the Vikings next drive and marched 84 yards to get in position for a game-tying touchdown and two-point conversion attempt. Roethlisberger took the final snap on a 1st-and-10 play from the Vikings 12-yard line. He fired a pass over the middle to tight end Pat Freiermuth.
The pass went between three defenders and landed in Freiermuth's hands, but Smith ran into the area and stripped the ball out for an incompletion.
Roethlisberger completed 28 of 40 passes for 308 yards, three scores and an interception. Steelers running back Najee Harris totaled 104 yards from scrimmage and two scores on 23 touches.
Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 14 of 31 passes for 216 yards, two scores and two interceptions in the win. The Vikings defense sacked Roethlisberger five times.
Greg Joseph of the Vikings and Chris Boswell of the Steelers each missed field goals on the first two drives of the game. Cousins connected with wide receiver Justin Jefferson for a 14-yard score with 3:31 left in the first quarter.
The Vikings took a 9-0 lead when Joseph made a 38-yard field goal seven seconds into the second quarter. Cook added to the lead with a 29-yard rushing touchdown with 9:55 remaining in the first half.
He added a 7-yard score 2:20 before halftime to give the Vikings a 23-0 lead at the break.
The Vikings forced a Steelers punt on the first drive of the second half. Joseph made field goals on each of the Vikings' next two drives for a 29-0 edge.
The Steelers responded with scores on each of their next three drives. Roethlisberger threw a 3-yard touchdown toss to Harris with 2:11 remaining in the third. Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon intercepted Cousins on the first play of the next drive.
Harris ended the next possession with a 1-yard rushing score. The Steelers forced a Vikings punt on the next possession. Roethlisberger followed with a 30-yard touchdown pass to James Washington, cutting the deficit to nine points.
Cousins responded with a 62-yard touchdown pass to K.J. Osborn, but Witherspoon intercepted the Vikings quarterback for a second time with 5:08 remaining.
The Steelers turned the turnover into points when Roethlisberger threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to Freiermuth with 4:14 remaining. The Steelers also completed a two-point conversion to cut the deficit to six.
They forced another Vikings punt on the resulting possession, but couldn't find the end zone on the game's final drive.
"Just to be blunt, we're getting handled up front on both sides of the ball, and that makes it difficult," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told reporters. "It makes it difficult to do what we desire to do. It makes it difficult to maintain balance.
"It makes it difficult to dictate to our opponents what happens or what happens next."
The Vikings (6-7) battle the Chicago Bears (4-8) at 8:15 p.m. EST Dec. 20 at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Steelers (6-6-1) host the Tennessee Titans (8-4) at 1 p.m. EST Dec. 19 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
