Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) drops back against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
The streak is over.
The Minnesota Vikings had lost 10 consecutive preseason games entering Saturday afternoon. But the naughtiness ended at home versus the Las Vegas Raiders after Minnesota completed a nifty little comeback, courtesy of a game-winning field goal from the new kicker, 24-23.
So, to keep you up to speed, these are 10 takeaways from the Vikings’ preseason win, ranked in ascending order (No. 1 = most important).
Before Saturday, most of the world had no idea what a “Bo Richter” was — until he tabulated 6 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a QB hit, and a sack against Las Vegas.
Some Vikings analysts have chirped about Richter possibly making the 53-man roster, and he more than looked the part versus the Raiders. The guy looked great, flew all over the place, and seems like the type of contributor Brian Flores would retain for the regular season.
Arguably, Minnesota needs an RB3 after Cam Akers signed with the Houston Texans, but Gaskin played decently in the first preseason game. He chipped off 22 rushing yards and 5 carries and manned kick-returning duties with the new rules.
The man is not an RB1; however, his RB3 candidacy feels stronger than ever.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah found “Prospect X” late in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Levi Drake Rodriguez showed onlookers why Minnesota prioritized him in April. He banked a sack and a tackle for loss while showcasing glorious Troy Polamalu hair.
Like Richter, Drake Rodriguez is trending to make the active roster.
Vikings fans craved Kene Nwangwu’s speed on offense for three years — going on four. Alas, he took a hand-off to the house on Saturday from 48 yards out.
Once Nwnagwu found daylight, the speed demon was gone. Indisputably. With any luck, Minnesota will actually use him on offense in 2024. Only took four years.
Justin Jefferson and Harrison Smith, for example, didn’t play, but most of the starting defense was on the field to start the game, and offensive linemen like Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill started, too. In the last two preseasons, O’Connell has religiously rested starters, leading to some rustiness in Week 1.
The young skipper may be turning a new leaf.
Purple enthusiasts wondered for three months who would take over the WR3 job after K.J. Osborn bolted for New England. Then, training camp arrived, and Jalen Nailor busted out.
That bust-out continued into an organized game setting, as Nailor recorded 3 catches for 63 yards in about a quarter or quarter and a half. Don’t look now, but O’Connell may have his post-Osborn WR3 in Nailor.
Yes, rookie kicker Will Reichard had a kick blocked, but no, it didn’t ruin his confidence. With the game on the line, trailing two, the new guy banged home a 38-yard field goal to end the Vikings’ bizarre preseason losing streak.
Exhibition games are meaningless. Nevertheless, imagine your long-term faith in Reichard if he had blown the kick. Vikings fans are a cynical breed regarding kickers. Thank God the guy made it.
It wasn’t all good.
Minnesota appeared to utilize a shell version of Flores’ defense, holding back the exotic and frequent blitzes until the regular season. Subsequently, the defense played blah, and Aidan O’Connell + Garnder Minshew looked like Pro Bowlers. In fact, it wasn’t until both hit the bench that Minnesota mounted its comeback.
Some fans panicked and decried the defense as stinky, but it was quite evident that Flores wasn’t using the full toolkit. Regardless, the Vikings will need better defense than Saturday’s in four short weeks.
Minnesota’s “other” 1st-Rounder got home for a sack on Aidan O’Connell and almost blew up another play for a sack moments before.
Considered by many the best defensive player in the draft, Turner somehow fell to the Vikings, and his first game in purple emphatically did not disappoint. Because Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel didn’t play, Turner was the only “big name” EDGE rusher on the field. The young man delivered.
McCarthy tossed a gruesome interception on his first drive, causing folks to tell their friends or spouses, “Well, he’s a rookie, so …”
But then that was it. That stain quickly faded, and McCarthy played wonderfully by a rookie’s standards — or anybody’s — diming two sweet touchdown passes, along with 188 passing yards. Every step of the way in the last four months, McCarthy has aced the test, and Saturday was no different.
He can’t be declared “the real deal” yet, but it would be really weird to look back on 2024 training camp and the first preseason game to think, “He hoodwinked us all.”
This guy is gonna be good. Book it.
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.