12 Snap Reactions after Raiders at Vikings | Preseason

Each week, we offer a “snap reactions” piece detailing thoughts and analysis after the latest Minnesota Vikings game.

12 Snap Reactions after Raiders at Vikings | Preseason

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

The Vikings won at home on Saturday afternoon over the Las Vegas Raiders 24-23, snapping a five-year preseason losing streak — yes, you read that right — after a game-winning field goal by rookie kicker Will Reichard.

1 — Sam Darnold played one drive, looked decent with some first-teamers, and skedaddled in Preseason Game No. 1. For better or worse, that’s a pretty clear indicator he’s the QB1, no matter how efficient J.J. McCarthy played or will continue to play in the rest of August. Fans should fully prepare for Darnold as the Week 1 starter, at least out of the gate. All the clues are there.

2 — Jalen Nailor continued his fantabulous summer, a vital development because the Vikings made no major moves to replace K.J. Osborn. The speedster hauled in three catches for 63 yards in limited sample, indicating he’s a full go for WR3 if his health remains intact. Compared to Nailor, Brandon Powell has represented a WR4 type throughout July and early August, not WR3.

3 — Brian Flores appeared to “hold back” on defense as his typical exoticism hit the backburner. Minnesota showcased a similar arrangement last preseason, holstering the blitz-happy stuff until the start of the regular season. Otherwise, Aidan O’Connell and Garnder Minshew looked dominant, which would be rather weird against any semblance of a Flores defense. It wasn’t long ago that the Vikings shut this same offense out altogether. The defense didn’t perform well in the 1st Half, but it’s not cause for extreme panic.

4 — Lewis Cine ran with the players who will probably be cut or hit the practice squad, another marker for fans to expect his waiver in about two weeks. The Cine era is probably nearing an end.

5 — More Vikings starters began the game than usual [in the preseason], hinting that Kevin O’Connell is flipping the script on his usual strategy. In 2022 and 2023, he rested nearly all starters, and last year, everyone looked a bit shaky against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 1. This go-round, the entire starting offensive line was on the field, along with Jordan Addison and the aforementioned Darnold. We shall see if this preseason strategy has staying power.

6 — U.S. Bank Stadium’s seats filled to the brim, and ticket prices checked in about three times higher on the aftermarket. Call it the J.J. McCarthy effect.

7 — Speaking of McCarthy, the youngster played wonderfully after a butterflies-in-the-stomach interception. It felt like a boxer who needed to get hit in the mouth before realizing go-time had already begun. Then, McCarthy recovered, ultimately tallying 188 passing yards and two sweet touchdown passes. VikingsTerritory would like to see McCarthy start right away but knows that’s a long shot. Our preference is to let McCarthy take his lumps for the entire 2024 season so that when 2025 arrives, he’s absolutely ready to lead Minnesota toward playoff contention.

8 — Nick Mullens left the event as QB3 — even though he didn’t play. Jaren Hall seemed unprepared or just flatly meh. The guy will be 27 next March, so he’s not some 21-year-old like McCarthy needing ample time to develop. The time is now for Hall, and he feels like a practice squader — probably why he was a 5th-Round draft pick last year and not an early- or mid-rounder.

9 — Justin Jefferson’s palpable excitement on the sidelines as a faux commentator should be all the evidence anyone needs to portray his glee about the current state of the Vikings. Some suggested that he could be melancholy that Kirk Cousins left in free agency. In the end, he really didn’t care, and Cousins was likely just a dude who Jefferson enjoyed playing with — not a dealbreaker situation.

10 — The Vikings will meet with five-time Pro Bowler Stephon Gilmore on Monday, and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah should sign him. A CB room consisting of Byron Murphy, Gilmore, Shaquill Griffin, and Akayleb Evans might nudge the purple team to the middle of the league for pass coverage.

11 — Will Reichard drilling the game-winner felt mandatory for one reason — what if he had missed? The de facto kicking curse would be alive and well Sunday morning. Winning a preseason game is meaningless in the grand scheme of a season, and while it wasn’t a huge deal that Reichard converted the kick, he needed to “not miss.” He delivered, rebounding after a blocked field goal earlier in the game. Confidence for Reichard and from fans can remain.

12 — The J.J. McCarthy era is here, and the next weeks and months are just a big waiting game until his official QB1 takeover.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.