Oct 6, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold (14) throws the ball against the New York Jets in the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.
There’s no way to sugarcoat what happened against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Sam Darnold did everything he could to lose the game. Minnesota failed to find the end zone.
John Parker Romo accounted for each of the 12 points that Kevin O’Connell’s team put on the board. By all measures, it was a terribly ugly game. It still ended in a win.
Following the victory, Kevin O’Connell talked with his team and noted that they had started their three-game road stand with a victory. Two more games are still on deck, and the Tennessee Titans are another bottom feeder on the schedule. Presumably, that means Minnesota should have little trouble dispatching their opponent on Sunday. If that doesn’t happen, the only thing that matters is a win.
The Vikings haven’t blown out an opponent since they made easy work of the Houston Texans multiple weeks ago, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t had convincing outcomes. The game against the New York Jets never felt in doubt, and despite a late comeback attempt, Aaron Rodgers was constantly playing with his back against the wall.
While Minnesota couldn’t find the end zone and scored just 12 points against Jacksonville, the result never felt in doubt. The Vikings were clearly the better team, and despite Darnold’s best efforts to make things interesting, they continued to drive the field with ease. It all just reiterates that the only important thing is winning.
The NFL is a very difficult league, and playing on the road doesn’t make things any easier. It’s great that Minnesota gets some of the worst teams in the league to soften their travel schedule, but they still have to show up to dispatch them. The Titans aren’t going to simply roll over on Sunday, but a five-point win will always be better than a one-point loss.
Nothing about Minnesota’s winning streak does anything to water down their abilities. The Kansas City Chiefs remain undefeated but have been in poor positions throughout multiple games this season. Like Minnesota, a tally in the win column is the only statistic that matters. When the playoffs come around, no one will care how the result was achieved as long as a victory takes place.
The Vikings have found a way to handle adversity this season. They don’t flinch when playing from behind, and they don’t care about winning ugly. Those are all vital qualities. Stack wins, and never worry about the rest. Ever.
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.