• Recap
• Bleachers

Lovell's field goal spoils Vikings' defensive effort

Aug 11, 2007 - 3:10 AM MINNEAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Minnesota Vikings' defense, which lost its starting middle linebacker from last season, got a boost from backup linebacker Dontarrious Thomas in the preseason opener.

Thomas intercepted Ryan Fitzpatrick's pass and returned it 82 yards for a third-quarter touchdown in the Vikings' 13-10 preseason loss to the St. Louis Rams on Friday night.

A pair of fourth-quarter field goals by rookie Kevin Lovell, including a 40-yarder as time expired, rallied the Rams to victory.

The Vikings had the league's top-ranked rush defense last season, and Napolean Harris - who left for Kansas City - was a big part of it. Harris was third on the team in tackles with 96, and solidified the middle linebacker position.

Minnesota's leading tackler last season, E.J. Henderson with 142, has moved into the middle, while last year's first-round pick, Chad Greenway, currently is the starter on the outside. Greenway missed all of his first season with a knee injury.

They helped to hold the high-powered Rams' offense to just seven points in the first half. Quarterback Marc Bulger was 6-for-7 for 42 yards with an interception.

Rams running back Steven Jackson, who led the NFL in total yards from scrimmage last season, didn't record any carries but caught two balls for eight yards.

Trying to prove he is worthy of Minnesota's starting quarterback position, Tarvaris Jackson went 8-for-11 for 83 yards. He led the Vikings on a 13-play, 65-yard drive for the game's first score, a Ryan Longwell 30-yard field goal in the second quarter.

Brooks Bollinger - Minnesota's other potential starter at quarterback - came on in the second quarter and completed 4-for-6 passes for 23 yards.

Minnesota also got its first look at running back Adrian Peterson, its No. 7 overall draft pick. Peterson played much of the first half and into the second, carrying the ball 11 times for 33 yards.

Rams rookie running back Brian Leonard showed he is adjusting well to life in the NFL.

Leonard, a college fullback who is making the move to running back, ran for 36 yards, caught five passes for 30 more and scored the game's first touchdown to put St. Louis up, 7-3.

After Longwell's field goal, the Rams went 73 yards in 11 plays, ending in Leonard's 10-yard touchdown run up the middle.

Despite the presence of Jackson, Leonard was a second-round draft choice in this April's college draft.