12 Snap Reactions after Falcons at Vikings
Each week, we offer a “snap reactions” piece detailing thoughts and analysis after the latest Minnesota Vikings game.
12 Snap Reactions after Falcons at Vikings
This will be off-the-cuff, a wee bit random, and hopefully insightful.
The Vikings won at home on Sunday afternoon over the Atlanta Falcons 42-21 and are owners of an 11-2 through 14 weeks.
1 — The Vikings scored 40 points in a game for the first time in five years. Conveniently and poetically, it occurred against Kirk Cousins’ team.
2 — This was the most fun Vikings win in a long time. The club has fired off better wins, but this one was a lot of fun. Plain and simple. It felt like a flashback to the 2002-2005 teams where splashy plays on offense were commonplace while the defense was a little suspect.
3 — The game went from a 21-21 tie that felt very much in the balance — to a quasi-blowout … in about 10 minutes of real-life time.
4 — Anytime, we repeat — anytime — a Vikings quarterback throws the ball in Jordan Addison’s direction, good things happen. The guy is such a dependable playmaker. He also always handles himself like he totally expected to break off a huge play. He never reacts as if his transaction was surprising. Guy’s a spark plug.
5—Had Minnesota lost this game, it truly wouldn’t have been the end of the world. There’s no shame in a 10-3 record. However, defeating Kirk Cousins’ team was vital because it proved the organization made the wise decision to move on nine months ago. The symbolism was heavy.
6 — Have we ever seen a defensive back like Byron Murphy intercept a pass with one hand — and not even bother cradling it with the other hand? What a baller move. Wide receivers do it, but it’s typically not a cornerback characteristic.
7— Minnesota procured a 4-for-4 (touchdowns) stat line in the redzone on offense. Man, oh man — does that make all the difference in the world. The squad ranked in the NFL’s bottom third before Sunday’s game per the metric. It flipped the script against Atlanta.
8 — The Vikings also did not create any giveaways. They’re typically good for at least one interception or fumble. Kevin O’Connell’s men can beat any team in the business with 100% redzone efficiency and zero turnovers. Write that down.
9 — The magic number is 1. If Minnesota wins next week or the Los Angeles Rams lose, it’s in the playoff dance. It will happen.
10 — The offensive line was getting pummeled in the 1st Half. Somebody fixed it — and it won the ball game. The moment Darnold received ample protection, he began playing playground football with all of his buddies.
11 — Jalen Redmond is a beast. He needs to play at least half of all defensive snaps — maybe more — on Sundays. He deserves it. The man had 2 tackles for loss and 2 passes defended this weekend. All he does is make plays.
12— We posted this stat about a month ago on the X app, and Darnold is once again authoring a memorable December.
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 MIN 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.
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