The Magic Number for the Vikings Is Not 13
The Minnesota Vikings fell to defeat against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 10. Another one-score game for Kevin O’Connell’s team, this time coming out on the wrong side of a 27-19 scoreline. One of the big reasons Minnesota lost this game was the number of penalty flags it drew — a massive 13.
VikingsTerritory looks at the major problem that hampered the Vikings in their loss to the Ravens. Penalty flags. 13 of them.
In a game where the Vikings’ defense wasn’t perfect, it did well to limit the Ravens’ offense. A sloppy performance from Minnesota in the other two phases proved both costly and insurmountable.
Pre-Snap Penalties Proving a Major Problem for Vikings
Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy threw two interceptions, and Myles Price fumbled on back-to-back kickoff returns, one recovered by the Ravens. Turning the ball over three times, plus three more times on downs, is not a recipe for success. Neither is committing an obscene amount of penalties. It was the kind of performance that raises questions about how well-coached and prepared a team is.
The 13 penalties on the Vikings in the game against the Ravens added up to 102 yards. That’s a huge number and completely unacceptable. Simply put, you aren’t going to beat a good team like the Ravens when you are shooting yourself in the foot that much. The penalty breakdown is: 8 false starts, 2 holding on special teams, 1 blindside block, 1 roughing the passer, 1 defensive pass interference, and 1 illegal hands to the face. Eight penalties on the offense, three on the defense, and two on special teams.
The most concerning element of the penalties was the false starts on offense. It has to be remembered that McCarthy was playing in only the fourth game of his professional career, but even so, eight false starts is wholly unacceptable — the word chosen by O’Connell himself post-game.
Sometimes there is one player out of sync at the cause of the problem, and it’s an easy fix. However, the seven flags on the Vikings in this game were thrown against six different players — JJ McCarthy, Justin Jefferson, Blake Brandel, Brian O’Neill, Christian Darrisaw, and Ben Yurosek.
The problem was coming from all across the offense. Having trouble with the cadence and committing false starts on the road in a hostile environment is one thing, but having these issues in your home stadium is baffling, even with an inexperienced QB.
It was the most false starts committed by a home team in 16 years. A damning statement that highlights how bad the Vikings were on Sunday. O’Connell told the media the team will get it fixed and will have the chance to show it this Sunday when Minnesota returns to US Bank Stadium to take on the Chicago Bears.
The Vikings won in Chicago in Week 1 and also won in Detroit in Week 9. This is the first NFC North game at home and a chance to go 3-0 in the division and get the season back on track — again.
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