The Drive That Saved the Vikings Season
The Minnesota Vikings came into a contest on Sunday in London against the Cleveland Browns with a 2-2 record. They had already lost their starting quarterback, and the backup has been tasked with playing behind a decimated offensive line. A loss would have put Kevin O’Connell’s team in a bad spot going into and coming out of the bye. One drive was enough to make the difference.
The Minnesota Vikings needed a good drive to beat the Cleveland Browns, and they put together arguably their best of the season.
If the loss against Pittsburgh was a slow-moving trainwreck, then the win over Cleveland was largely a snoozefest that included few haymakers. With the game on the line, Carson Wentz under center, and the offensive line in shambles, everyone took things up a notch.
It Was All on the Vikings for the Vikings, and They Delivered
With 3:05 left in the game, trailing by a field goal, and not wanting to see overtime, the Vikings orchestrated a 10-play drive that went 80 yards in just 2:40. Carson Wentz was a perfect 9-for-9, and that culminated in a 12-yard touchdown for Jordan Addison.
It was the sort of drive that the Vikings absolutely had to have, and one that the quarterback nobody expected to be there led to perfection. He also did it behind that banged-up offensive line, and against one of the best defenses the entire league has to offer.
The 80-yard drive was the longest Cleveland had allowed for a touchdown all season, and they had three touchdown scores that tied or surpassed the Browns’ 71-yard season-long.
To say what the Vikings did on offense Sunday was special would be putting it lightly. You could have easily made the argument that a team favored by 3.5 points should win. The fact that Wentz was sacked just three times for 16 yards, Minnesota was penalized just seven times for 50 yards, and even when behind, they looked in control, is a testament to their leadership.
If the loss against Pittsburgh was among the worst games Kevin O’Connell has ever coached, then the win against Cleveland was among his best. The head coach has often emphasized that his players need to be at their best when it is required. Today was that for O’Connell and then some.
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