From a suggestion by a reader, we proceed our “snap reactions” weekly piece detailing ideas and examination following a Minnesota Vikings match.
This will be off-the-cuff, a wee bit “random,” and hopefully insightful.
The Vikings fell to 8-2 atop the NFC North immediately after a beatdown at the palms of the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas downed Minnesota 40-3. Not a typo.
1 – The Vikings have been by no means going to be a 16-1 team — most optimists pegged the club for a 12-5 period — so a reduction was destined to arise. Evidently, that was a shellacking by the Cowboys. Perhaps it would’ve been much better for the warm-fuzzies to drop in Buffalo and then thrash the Cowboys at dwelling. But then 1 wouldn’t have the memory of the Costs win. Although the decline was awful, inexcusable, and nauseating, Minnesota is even now 8-2 — better than any projection you forecasted by means of 10 video games.
2 – Head coach Kevin O’Connell can both retreat to Eagan and re-formulate a plan to react with a refreshing get in excess of the New England Patriots, or he can fundamentally do absolutely nothing and make it possible for the team to drop two home game titles in a row. Whichever selection is selected very likely decides regardless of whether the Vikings are bonafide Tremendous Bowl contenders.
3 – Five groups in NFL background have missing common season games by 30+ points and later received a Tremendous Bowl in the exact same period:
- 1976 Oakland Raiders
- 1994 San Francisco 49ers
- 2003 New England Patriots
- 2012 Baltimore Ravens
- 2020 Tampa Buccaneers.
In spite of any tears that enthusiasts may possibly working experience, there is precedent for this form of point.
4 – We can’t even diagnose if this was a “Bad Kirk” activity due to the fact he didn’t have time in the pocket to verify if he was Negative Kirk.
5 – Cousins encountered a 63% pass-hurry pressure charge versus the Cowboys. Through the Tremendous Bowl two decades back, Patrick Mahomes knowledgeable a 37.5% strain charge as opposed to Tampa Bay. Do you try to remember how rotten that was for Mahomes? Toss on 26 more percent for Cousins. Football games can’t be gained with that stat.
6 – The Cowboys are now 4- at U.S. Lender Stadium, which is amazing and mind-numbing.
7 – There is nothing worthwhile to report stat-sensible for every particular person performance simply because the recreation symbolized these types of putrefaction for the Vikings. The Vikings have been 1 for 11 on 3rd Down. They lost the time-of-possession battle by 15 minutes. Cousins was sacked 7 times. They genuinely did very little proper.
8 – If the postseason began tomorrow, the Vikings would host the 49ers. Twenty-4 several hours ago, that matchup influenced a “bring them on” posture from Vikings supporters. For now — until finally Thursday night time — that hypothetical game strikes anxiety in your coronary heart.
9 – For every position differential, this was the Vikings sixth-worst loss of all time.
10 – Christian Darrisaw has already been ruled out for Thursday, and it is emphatically the clever move.
11 – The household group did not do the Vikings any favors. But one may well have to be a maniac to scream at whole volume when the rating is 30-3 or so.
12 – The previous time the Vikings ended up embarrassed, they received their subsequent 7 game titles. Just like the Tremendous Bowl stat over (No. 3), there is precedent for this. Onward.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his day by day YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs just about every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed responsible pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Product, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doorways (the band).