Vikings and McCarthy Grounded by the Falcons in Home Opener
Vikings Territory Breakdown Podcast
On Sunday night, Vikings fans were still warming themselves from the embers of last Monday night’s memories of the fourth quarter of the Chicago Bears game (in which their quarterback of the future, J.J. Mcarthy, put on a display for the ages with three scores in fifteen minutes to secure the win in his NFL debut) when they were doused with the cold, wet reality of a 22-6 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. McCarthy played like he had for the first three quarters against the Bears, and suddenly joy over the NFC Player of the Week turned to fear and loathing of a season quickly on the brink.
That all might be a bit of hyperbole, but, as we climb from the wreckage of a dispiriting home opener in which the Vikings were united in their team-wide poor performance, it doesn’t feel like it. McCarthy, while certainly under pressure all night (he suffered six sacks and 11 hits), looked lost and indecisive at times, searching to find an open receiver or scrambling to save his hide. But the offensive line, beset by injuries, did him no favors in protection nor the run game. The Falcons had more rushing yards (218) than the Vikings had total yards (198).
And the defense (which often didn’t break, giving up just one touchdown) bent too often, letting the shifty and powerful Bijan Robinson run roughshod over them all night. They couldn’t get off the field until the Falcons kicked field goals (five of them), while the offense couldn’t stay on it (running just 46 plays and trailing in time of possession by 13 minutes). In the end, the game was a deflating slog through mounting injuries and questions about where this team that was ready to win now is headed.
Questions that we, the co-hosts of Vikings Territory Breakdown podcast (Joe Oberle, senior writer at vikingsterritory.com and purplePTSD.com and Mark Craig, NFL and Vikings writer for the Star Tribune and startribune.com) are ready to tackle. Tune in and check it out. Skol!
