5 Takeaways from the Minnesota Vikings Loss to the Philadelphia Eagles
On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings fell to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 28-22.
The loss was a frustrating one, and it moved the Vikings to 3-3 on the season, dropping them into the cellar in the NFC North. Here’s a look at some of the big takeaways from that game.
1. Red Zone Struggles Ruin the Day
This game could have ended very differently if the Vikings did not struggle so much in the red zone. Minnesota was in the red zone a whopping six times on Sunday, and only one of those trips resulted in a touchdown.
That touchdown came in the third quarter on a Jordan Mason one-yard rush that put the Vikings within one possession, but it would prove to be as close as the Vikings would get in this one.
The red zone struggles are a head scratching one for an offense that typically has been very good in that area of the field this season. The Vikings came into Sunday scoring touchdowns on two-thirds of their red zone possessions, ranking eighth in the NFL with a 66.7% touchdown rate.
Of course, it wasn’t without some controversy as T.J. Hockenson had a touchdown catch overturned late in the game. It was a close play, but unfortunately, it looked like the refs got that one right after review.
2. The Carson Wentz Roller Coaster
The Carson Wentz experience continued on Sunday for the Vikings, and this game may have been the frustrating yet in terms of a viewing experience. Wentz was clearly out of sorts from the beginning of the game, making Jordan Addison fall out of bounds on an opening possession pass that, if it was on the money, probably would have resulted in Addison running free for a touchdown.
Then, on that same drive, Wentz missed Addison again on a quick out route that also could have resulted in a touchdown. Instead, that drive ended in a 59-yard field goal attempt after a comedy of errors that included Blake Brandel snapping a ball about five feet over Carson Wentz’s head that took them about 25 yards backwards.
Among the issues that resulted in some of these red zone struggles (that aforementioned overturned Hockenson catch would have been an easy touchdown if Wentz just hit him in the chest), Wentz also threw a pick-six and then another interception on his very next pass attempt.
Things did get better in the second half as Wentz finished the game with 313 passing yards and had a few nifty runs to keep drives alive, but the roller coaster ride of ups and downs has just become a part of the Wentz experience at this point.
3. Ivan Pace’s Benching
No, Ivan Pace was not injured on Sunday. Instead, he just did not play on defense at all after struggling at times to start the year, and Sunday’s game marking the return of Blake Cashman from injured reserve. Pace recorded zero snaps on defense for the first time in his career, and instead, he was held exclusively to a special teams role this weekend.
As a result, Eric Wilson got the start for the fifth time this season, and he made the most of it by recording six tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Pace has gotten some big praise for being an undrafted free agent who immediately jumped into a starting role to begin his career, but some of that shine may be starting to wear off with the struggles we’ve seen so far this season.
4. Isaiah Rodgers Has First Real Bad Day
Isaiah Rodgers has been a strong addition to the Vikings’ defense so far this season, but he struggled against Philadelphia’s talented group of receivers this weekend. PFF held him accountable for five receptions and 150 yards on Sunday, including Devonta Smith’s 79-yard touchdown catch and run.
That was the only touchdown PFF held against Rodgers, but he was also in the area on A.J. Brown’s game-sealing 45-yard catch at the end of the game. It marked the first time this season that Rodgers had allowed more than 33 receiving yards.
5. 2024 Draft Picks Show Out
Folks have been waiting for Dallas Turner to make an impact on Minnesota’s defense, and while there were still moments where the 2024 first-round pick was missing, he did show flashes of what he can be. Turner teamed up with Jonathan Greenard for a sack, and hopefully, we can see a lot more of that when Andrew Van Ginkel returns to the field.
Meanwhile, Will Reichard continued to prove that he should have full confidence from Vikings fans in his kicking abilities. The 2024 sixth-round pick nailed all five of his field goal attempts, including the 59-yarder to save Minnesota’s opening possession. He’s now made 13 of his 14 field goal attempts this season, and the one miss has some controversy surrounding it in terms of whether or not it hit a camera wire.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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