After winning five straight games to start the season, the Minnesota Vikings followed it up with two losses in five days—and both sets of numbers are difficult to fathom. How did it happen? They took the conference leading Detroit Lions to the brink, but failed to get a first down at the end. And they did not last that long against the 2-4 Los Angeles Rams, taking an early lead and then resuming play that plagued them in both games: porous defense and a boatload of penalties on both sides of the ball. The end result was a very sloppy 30-20 loss on Thursday Night Football and a concerning tumble in the NFC North standings.
As great as the opening quarter of the season was for Minnesota, the second quarter has been equally bad. The Vikings can play in the first quarter of games, but soon after that things begin to unravel. Add to that a season-ending knee injury to their best offensive lineman, Christian Darrisaw, and the Vikings’ trip to LA was anything but sunny. They may have come into the softest part of their schedule, but the Purple appear to be playing their softest football of the season. Things need to change quickly.
So, we talk about it: Joe Oberle, senior writer at vikingsterritory.com and purplePTSD.com and Mark Craig, NFL and Vikings writer for the Star Tribune and startribune.com—the fellas at Vikings Territory Breakdown podcast—are on hand to break it all down for you. Tune in and check it out.