What We Learned About the Minnesota Vikings in Near-Collapse Victory @ Packers

By    |  
Updated:
Aaron Jones - Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers
Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings entered week 4 vs the Green Bay Packers, undefeated, and looking for their first division win. And they left with exactly what they went there for. How they got to that victory had some violent twists and turns… but they got there.

Green Bay nearly completed an epic 2nd half comeback, cutting a 28-0 first half deficit down to a final 31-29 Vikings W. How should Minnesota fans feel, as they prepare to go back to work on Monday? Well, your favorite football team just took a 2+ game lead on their biggest rival, by beating them on the road.

So, you should feel great! Nonetheless, there was a lot to take away from this contest, both good and bad. So, let’s dive in. Here is what we learned today, during the Vikings near-collapse victory vs the Green Bay Packers.

Justin Jefferson + Jordan Addison combo is too deadly

I could have made this about the Minnesota Vikings offense, in general. Aaron Jones had a good day (22 carries, 93 yards) vs his former team and eight different Vikings caught passes from Sam Darnold. But the difference Jordan Addison made today was palpable, especially early on.

Doubling up Justin Jefferson, or even shading safeties to his side, is very, very dangerous when #3 is on the field. The Packers did their best to shut down JJ, on Sunday. Overall, they did a pretty good job limiting both him and Jordan Addison, who totalled 9 catches for 157 yards.

But once in scoring position, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell dialed up his No 1 and 2 receivers for three total touchdowns. They both caught one, Addison scored a second on the ground.

No, Jordan Addison is not Justin Jefferson. Nobody is saying that. But if we allow him to build up a bit more NFL experience, there won’t be very many wide receivers you’d rank between the two teammates much longer. Much like JJ, the former USC star has it all. Great hands, more than adequate speed… and absolutely elite route running.

Sam Darnold is really good… but needs to be smarter

Kevin O’Connell is a really good coach. Not only that, but he has already proven himself as one of the elite play-callers/scheme specialists in the league. But we saw last season that even KOC can’t make a bad QB look good. He was able to make Josh Dobbs and Nick Mullens look like Cinderella, but those stories always had a midnight expiration date.

Darnold’s potential has no curfew. There is talent in Sam, for the Minnesota Vikings head coach to tap into, that was not in those other QBs. When the dust settled at Lambeau on Sunday, Darnold finished 20-of-28 for 275 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception and 1 fumble (123.4 QB rating).

But this win didn’t come easy. Not for Sam, not for the Vikings. In fact, the defense had to force a couple of turnovers, late, in between Packers scoring drives, for the purple to close this one out. But there was one 2nd half drive that stemmed the Packers late comeback and allowed the Vikings defense to catch their breath.

Related: TJ Hockenson Injury Timeline Being Pushed Back by Vikings Again…?

Early in the 4th quarter, Green Bay had surged all the way back, from down 28-0 in the 2nd, to 28-22, with lots of time left. After fumbling the possession before, Sam calmly got back under center with over 10 minutes left in the game, and led Minnesota on a 7-play, 55 yard drive. It lasted 3.5 minutes and ended in a Will Reichard field goal hat put the Vikings back up by two possessions, 31-22.

So not only was Sam Darnold good for most of this game, but with everything collapsing around them late, the Vikings desperately needed a successful 4th quarter scoring drive. And their new QB delivered, like a good starting QB should.

Opposing teams haven’t solved the Minnesota Vikings defense… yet

The Minnesota Vikings have only trailed for 3:26 seconds all season. Yes, that is a real stat. This offense has been good and the Sam Darnold Revenge Tour will fly out to London this week on absolute fire. But this team is 4-0, and sitting on top of the NFL world, in large part because of Brian Flores’ defense.

Two of this league’s best offensive coaches, Kyle Shanahan and Matt LaFleur have been able to beat it. In the first half of today’s game, they were absolutely dominant. The Green Bay Packers did not score their first point until there was 20 seconds remaining in the first half.

The offense didn’t help Flores’ defense out very much in that brutal 3rd quarter. Still, there is no excuse for allowing 465 yards of total offense, and 22 second half points points. And what was up with that final Green Bay drive?

I know Flores called off the dogs and put them into prevent… but in no world should an 80% healthy Jordan Love be able to drive 96 yards on 5 plays for a touchdown, in just 1:22. That final onside kick never should have happened.

Related: One Year Around Bud Grant Shaped Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell

In the end, though, the Minnesota Vikings will walk away from Lambeau still undefeated, now 1-0 in the division, with a road win vs the Green Bay Packers in their back pocket. It doesn’t matter how poorly they played, at times during the 2nd half.

This was a huge win and the Vikings should be at the top of every Super Bowl contender list this week. And on Sunday, we get an early-morning international kickoff vs Aaron Rodgers in a different colored green. Should be fun…

Mentioned in this article:

More About: