Christmas came in October for Andrew Van Ginkel. At least that’s what Aaron Rodgers told the Vikings’ linebacker on the field after gifting him a first-quarter interception. Van Ginkel returned the interception 63 yards for the first Minnesota touchdown.
“I couldn’t believe it happened,” said Van Ginkel, who now has three pick-sixes over his last 11 games. “He told me, too, ‘Christmas came early’ for me.”
Van Ginkel, who dropped back into coverage on the play, snuck under the quarterback’s line of sight to steal the pass. Minnesota (5-0) took a 10-0 lead and never trailed in a 23-17 win over the Jets (2-3) at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Afterward, Van Ginkel credited defensive coordinator Brian Flores in helping him rob the future Hall of Famer.
“Just a guy of that caliber, that level, I’m just thankful, grateful,” said Van Ginkel, the first player in NFL history with at least three sacks and two interception-return touchdowns in his team’s first five games of a season. “And all the hard work and just dedication that Flo puts in and then putting us in the right position to succeed, and the rest you’ve just got to make it come to life.”
The Vikings drained the life out of the Jets’ offense with three sacks and three interceptions, but not before a valiant effort by Rodgers. After Minnesota took a 17-0 lead, the Jets were within a potential winning score late in the game but Stephon Gilmore stepped in front of Mike Williams and intercepted Rodgers.
Per the NFL, Vikings safety Harrison Smith surpassed 20 career sacks and, along with his 35 career interceptions, became the seventh player since 1982 with at least 30 interceptions and 20 sacks. He joined Hall of Famers Ronde Barber, LeRoy Butler, Brian Dawkins, Ray Lewis and Charles Woodson, as well as Rodney Harrison.
Minnesota is off to its best start in eight years, since opening 5-0 in 2016. While the Vikings had the last laugh, Rodgers become only the ninth player in league history to reach 60,000 career passing yards.
The Vikings return from London to a Week 6 bye while the Jets get an additional day of rest before a Monday night rematch at MetLife Stadium with the Bills (3-2), Buffalo’s first trip to the Meadowlands since Rodgers sustained a season-ending Achilles injury on his first series with the Jets last season.
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