12 Snap Reactions to Vikings at Browns
In a weird game, mainly because the stakes were quite high for the Minnesota Vikings, Kevin O’Connell’s team prevailed over the Cleveland Browns by a score of 21-17. These are snap reactions to the event.
The Minnesota Vikings found a way to triumph in London, keeping their undefeated streak in England alive by downing the Cleveland Browns.
Minnesota will now enjoy a bye week, when it can heal from an obscene amount of injuries and get ready for the world champion and currently undefeated Philadelphia Eagles.
Instant Takes from Vikings Dub over Browns
The game felt like a throwback to the 2022 purple team.
1. Considering that Minnesota will face Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Chargers, Detroit Lions, and Baltimore Ravens after the bye, Sunday’s win can be interpreted as a season-saving transaction. In a year when the Vikings are performing well (2019, 2024, 2024), going 2-2 against the Eagles, Chargers, Lions, and Ravens would feel like an accomplishment. This year’s team squad is closer to average than good, so entering the bye with a winning record feels like a season-saver. The club can get healthy, get J.J. McCarthy ready, and let the chips fall.
2. Minnesota’s two fumbles felt deadly, and usually when O’Connell loses the turnover battle, his team loses on the whole. Sunday was different, as the Vikings grinded out a dub, not unlike that aforementioned 2022 squad.
3. For some reason — the internet rumor mill claimed it was a curfew problem or missed walkthrough — Jordan Addison didn’t play at all in the 1st Quarter. If the rumor mill is accurate, he might’ve been up to his familiar knucklheaded antics. But what a redemption arc for the 23-year-old, catching the game-winning score from Carson Wentz. How to erase a missed walkthrough? Well, easy: score the game-winning touchdown. The story seems like a classic Jordan Addison ordeal.
4. Speaking of Wentz, he certainly wasn’t flawless, and he does not appear to be on his way to a “Case Keenum season” or “Randall Cunningham season,” but for a quarterback nobody wanted until late August, the dude sure as hell delivered in the clutch in England. Tip of the cap.
5. Dallas Turner is developing before your very eyes, and fans strangely don’t like to acknowledge it. He posted 7 tackles and a sweet tackle for loss, an impactful performance with Andrew Van Ginkel out indefinitely.
6. The Vikings won in Week 5 because of Justin Jefferson. Without him, Minnesota would have lost about 17-10. He was the foremost difference-maker, and it’s why he makes the big bucks.
7. Shout out to rookie defensive tackle Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, who logged his first career sack. He’s a 5th-Rounder, and often, 5th-Rounders do nothing. Ingram-Dawkins is different. Minnesota has an embarrassingly deep defensive tackle room, which is odd because the franchise didn’t seem to care about those from approximately 2015 to 2024.
8. Adam Thielen has utterly vanished, and it’s quite sad. Trading for him was useless. So far, anyway.
9. A trick play finally worked — all the way worked — with Cam Akers at “quarterback” throwing a jumping dime to Josh Oliver. You can see why the Vikings always find a way to sign or trade for Akers. Guy’s a baller.
10. T.J. Hockenson was targeted 6 times and pulled in 6 receptions. For those anxious to write his obituary while he fully healed from a torn ACL, your efforts were silly. The man is still a Top 6 tight end.
11. Dillon Gabriel played decently for an unsung mid-round rookie passer. It was odd that Minnesota couldn’t stuff the run — again — but thankfully, Gabriel wasn’t surgical, and Flores’ defense did just enough, especially late, to contribute to the win.
12. The season is salvageable. It is salvageable because Minnesota won today. Imagine your emotions if Minnesota had lost, whimpering into the bye with a 2-3 record against an easy schedule to date. Now, imagine your emotions for the next two weeks. Would’ve felt like doomsday. There is hope.
Bonus: The offensive line, to an extent, held up when one considers the total patchwork personnel. Myles Garrett wasn’t a game-breaker. Perhaps we’ll get clarity soon on just why in the hell Christian Darrisaw didn’t play in the 4th Quarter. Bizarre.
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