12 Snap Reactions after Vikings at Lions
Each week, we offer a “snap reactions” piece detailing thoughts and analysis after the latest Minnesota Vikings game.
12 Snap Reactions after Vikings at Lions
This will be off-the-cuff, a wee bit random, and hopefully insightful.
The Vikings lost on the road on Sunday at the Detroit Lions 31-9 and are owners of a 14-3 record in 2024.
The next stop is Los Angeles for a Wildcard date with the Rams.
1 — The Vikings just weren’t ready for the stakes of Sunday Night Football. Detroit seemed like a club very much living in a Super Bowl window, while the purple team is a year or two away. Everyone predicted a shootout, and Detroit blew Minnesota’s doors off in the 2nd Half.
2 — Minnesota lost because of wickedly woeful redzone performance. It was 0 for 4 inside the Lions’ 20-yardline. Had Sam Darnold and friends converted some of those opportunities in the 1st Half — as they usually do — they could’ve reasonably won the game. But nope.
3 — Tip of the cap to the Lions’ defense, a group portrayed as horrible all week but rose to the occasion despite oodles of injuries.
4 — The Vikings picked an atrocious time for their worst game of the season. They played buffoonish in the 2nd Half.
5 — If the Rams dispatch Minnesota from the playoffs with a one-and-done, recent momentum for keeping Sam Darnold will all but die.
6 — Darnold simply could not find a rhythm, which was tragic because this was the game where Minnesota needed him the most. Thankfully, he can bounce back against the Rams in one week. Yet, the guy crumbled with the No. 1 seed on the line. All pundits who didn’t “trust Sam Darnold” were vindicated.
7 — Completing 18 passes on 41 attempts is unabashedly dreadful. That’s the statline of an unprepared rookie.
8 — Kevin O’Connell’s team can erase this loss in a hurry at Los Angeles, but the Vikings’ showing at Ford Field created doubt about that showdown. Minnesota is favored next week, but few onlookers would be stunned if the Rams prevailed. It’s time to have a short memory.
9 — Jahmyr Gibbs’ domination of Minnesota was reminiscent of Alvin Kamara on Christmas Day 2020 against Mike Zimmer’s defense.
10 — Jonathan Greenard and Ivan Pace Jr. showed up to play with splashy defensive moments, but the offense never responded. Complimentary football must be played to beat the Lions.
11 — The Vikings were 3 for 13 on 3rd Down, almost always a doomsday percentage when hoping to defeat a superior opponent.
12 — Minnesota had a chance to host home playoff games in the next three weeks, but no cigar. Now, it must morph into road warriors and hope for the best at Los Angeles, perhaps Philadelphia, and maybe Detroit as the final boss at the end of January.
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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.