Special teams mistakes were costly as the Vikings nearly pulled off an improbable comeback at Lambeau Field. The inability to play complementary football proved costly as the game ended tied at 29.
Sunday afternoon helped justify why the Vikings were
interested in signing Kirk Cousins. When the game was on the line, Cousins made
big-time throws to keep Minnesota within striking distance. He completed 35 of
his 48 passes for 425 yards, four touchdowns and an interception as the Vikings
tied Green Bay, 29-29. The difficult throws Cousins managed to deliver, stood
out as he took control of the team down the stretch.
Green Bay led 23-14 with 7:38 left until Cousins perfectly
dropped a deep 75-yard pass to Stefon Diggs for a long touchdown. Diggs did a fantastic
job of tracking the ball as Cousins perfectly dropped a throw over the top. It
was just the beginning of a long comeback. A few moments later, Cousins led the
team on an 8-play, 75-yard drive over 1:14. He fired a tight window throw to Adam
Thielen between two defenders for a 22-yard touchdown grab. Thielen managed to
haul in the pass and keep balance as he backed into the end zone for a score.
The throw somehow snuck into the window as Cousins showed off all of his arm
strength to get the pass to Thielen.
He also displayed nice touch to the back of end zone as he
found Stefon Diggs for the game-tying two-point conversation. Cousins showed he
can make a variety of different throws other quarterbacks have been unable to complete.
He showed confidence and poise in a hostile environment as he led his team back
from a nine-point deficit. The new quarterback benefited from the offensive
line settling in during the second half. Cousins had more time to work and
stepped into the pocket to deliver tough throws. Rookie right tackle Brian O’Neill
entered the game late in third quarter as Rashod Hill exited with an ankle
injury. O’Neill appeared to hold up well and allowed Cousins to make plays in
the pocket. In the first half, the right side of the offensive line struggled
to protect adequately, but the entire unit started to settle in as the game
progressed.
A late roughing the passer penalty on Clay Matthews negated
a deep interception, which would have ended the game. Cousins’ lone
interception was the result of a pass that went off the hands of wide receiver Laquon
Treadwell and deflected to Packers safety Haha Clinton-Dix. In the first
quarter, Treadwell grabbed his first career receiving touchdown, but two critical
drops cast a shadow on his overall performance. One nearly flipped the balance
of the game, however, a late surge by the Vikings’ offense helped end the NFC
North battle in a tie. Minnesota desperately needs a more consistent performance
at the third wide receiver spot.
Outside of that, the Adam Thielen-Stefon Diggs duo combined for
259 yards and three touchdowns. The quarterback play of Cousins, combined with
weapons like Thielen and Diggs, leave the Vikings with opportunities to grow as
the offense becomes more cohesive. There are still timing issues and moments
where Cousins could feel the pocket better, but his play down the stretch
helped the team fight back.
Vikings’ run defense
and tight end coverage
The Vikings’ run defense started slowly as the team surrendered
45 rushing yards in the first quarter alone. It allowed the Packers to control
the clock and makes plays in favorable down situations. A few of the rushing
plays were a result of linebackers not fitting correctly or being unable to
pull off of blocks. Linebacker Eric Kendricks struggled early and the second level
of the defense continued to have trouble covering tight ends up the field.
Jimmy Graham had six catches for 95 yards as the Vikings lost tight ends for
the second straight week. This is something they’ll need to address over the
next couple weeks and will be evaluated when reviewing film.
Pressure turns up
late
The defensive line managed to get more pressure down the
stretch, including a key sack in overtime as the Vikings dialed up a special blitz
package. Cornerback Mackensie Alexander reached Rodgers for a key takedown, setting
up one final field goal attempt in the final seconds. Defensive tackle David Parry
also rotated into the mix for a sack, as the Vikings’ pass rush came alive in
the final stages. The defensive pressure wasn’t perfect, but they managed to
make several big plays in the second half to give the offense a chance.
Special teams were
costly
The game was really lost on special teams. A blocked punt
touchdown and three missed field goals by Daniel Carlson changed the landscape
of the game. These type of lapses were shown in the preseason and appeared in
this game. A 16-point swing directly related to special teams play is a major
problem. The Vikings’ defense managed to surrender six field goal tries, but all
of the mistakes on special teams kept Green Bay in the game. It will be
interesting to see if the Vikings make changes at the kicker position,
especially considering they were a 35-yard try away from completing a huge come
from behind victory. Some serious changes need to be made in the special teams
room if the Vikings want to win against top-flight competition.
At the end of the day, considering how poorly they played,
Minnesota was extremely fortunate to escape with a tie. A few fantastic
offensive plays late in the game helped the Vikings overcome an afternoon where
they were unable to play complementary football. Leaving with a tie is better
than a loss, but certainly won’t be satisfying for anyone involved.
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