Aaron Jones Has Presented a Different Problem
The Minnesota Vikings came through with another win on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. It’s hard not to be excited about that reality, especially because it pushed their win total to double digits. The problem is that Aaron Jones has continued to be healthy, but his results have translated into plenty of issues. Fumbling is the key concern.
Aaron Jones Has Presented a Different Problem
When the Vikings opted to bring in Aaron Jones, he was deemed a worthy replacement for failed running back Alexander Mattison. That has worked relatively well from a production standpoint, but the total package has left plenty to be desired. Jones has struggled to convert at the goal line and has just three rushing touchdowns through 12 games.
The Vikings have helped the oft-injured running back to stay on the field, but Jones has routinely taken Minnesota’s offense off of it. Two more fumbles on Sunday, one of which he lost at the goal line, take his season total tally to five. He has never fumbled more than five times in a season, which ties a career-high he set back in 2022.
Minnesota simply cannot afford this version of Jones. He has consistently taken the ball away from his team in key spots. On Sunday, the Vikings had a chance to take an early lead, and Jones coughed up the football while failing to get into the end zone. His hands and ball security became a problem later on another fumble, and he dropped what could have been a fourth-quarter touchdown.
At this point, the season has entered what can be considered the final stretch. Minnesota is still winning and finding ways to overcome their deficiencies. That doesn’t mean it’s a strategy that they should want to lean on as the playoffs begin to come into view.
No one feels worse about the lack of ball security than Jones. He is a veteran, accountable, and well-respected within the locker room. Unfortunately, though, words only carry so much weight. At some point, the former Green Bay Packers standout has to follow through on the execution side of things. It would be great to see him create a statistically sound performance while eliminating any mental mistakes.
Jones will have another opportunity to right the ship on Sunday. He didn’t play with Kirk Cousins in Minnesota, but that’s a game his head coach certainly has circled.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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