Snap Reactions after Chargers-Vikings

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

From a suggestion by a reader, we author a “snap reactions” weekly piece detailing thoughts and analysis after a Minnesota Vikings game.

This will be off-the-cuff, a wee bit “random,” and hopefully insightful.

Snap Reactions

  1. With so few turnovers on offense, so many sacks on defense, and a plethora of playmakers on the roster — the Vikings should really have a winning record in 2021. But they do not because of deadly mistakes in the Bengals and Cardinals games to start the season. This win feels like a restoration of order in the world, eventually getting Minnesota back on track for a winning record. Somewhat reasonably — beating a division foe at home and taking care of business against a non-impressive 49ers team — the Vikings could have a winning record by November 28th.
  2. The Vikings finally won a close game because they could run the ball the way they preferred and — say it with us — control the time of possession.
  3. It is very odd that Danielle Hunter, Harrison Smith, Patrick Peterson, Anthony Barr, and Michael Pierce missed this game while the defense, on the whole, performed quite well. Good coaching, evidently.
  4. Xavier Woods continues to be one of the best players on Minnesota’s defense, and no one shouts it from the rooftops. Except for maybe these types of snap reactions.
  5. The penalties were unholy. If Minnesota does make this season into something, those penalties will be the undoing at a terrible time in January.
  6. Because the offense did not stall or recede into unfathomable conservatism in the 2nd and 3rd Quarters, this Vikings win had major 2019 vibes.
  7. Mike Zimmer’s stock has been incredibly low for about a month, but the man does typically strategize for and stifle young quarterbacks — especially ones with big reputations. It’s the backup quarterbacks who wreak havoc.
  8. The Vikings are a half game out of the playoffs as of November 14th. The team directly ahead — the Carolina Panthers — does not have the tiebreaker against Minnesota.
  9. Except for the Browns and Cowboys games, Kirk Cousins has delivered in the 4th Quarter of every matchup. And some of his detractors will just shrug and blame him anyway. It’s strange.
  10. Camryn Bynum is playing marvelously. When Harrison Smith returns next week, hopefully Bynum still has a role somewhere on defense.
  11. The Vikings beat the Chargers chiefly because of Justin Jefferson’s true grit.
  12. Tyler Conklin was also essential in the victory. While it’s easy to do what could have been with memories of Irv Smith Jr., Conklin deserves TE1 respect.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).

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