First and foremost, prayers for Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell. As of this writing, all I can see is that he was taken to the hospital and is being evaluated for a neck injury. Wishing very good news soon. When something like this happens, it puts the pointless complaints about the team and gameplay into perspective. Get well, Jack Campbell, and hope for a full recovery. We are all Lions fans now.
The Vikings Get Their Reality Check
The Minnesota Vikings lost a game they deserved to lose. Our winning streak is unsustainable, and the outcome is now predictable when the competition improves. There will inevitably come a time when Flores and special teams can’t carry the team to victory. That day came at Ford Field in Week 8. The offense failed the test.
We’re now 6-1 and facing huge headwinds: a ridiculously underachieving offense, a dominant defense that has recently shown weaknesses against the run, suddenly missing Will Reichard, and an absolutely brutal slate of games coming up.
This is not the time to focus on the defense or the kicker. Both will be fine. The former spent about 36 minutes on the field. Fatigue laid the foundation for missed tackles, and the Vikings had double digits in the second half. They might as well (reasonably) force a turnover first, because our offense is about as reliable as a cheap paper umbrella. Jahmyr Gibbs didn’t help being the best running back in football.
In the end, despite the Lions rushing for 230 yards, Jared Goff was sacked four times and held to a Vikings-esque 176 yards passing. The Lions were held to 5-for-13 on third down and scored 19 points at home, despite averaging 31 points per game coming into the game.
Meanwhile, Will Reichard remains a superhero in my book. Don’t worry. Only hiccups for the king of aura, vibes, and stellar hair.
The Guilt has run out of Sorry
Last week, I gave the offense this week and next against a similarly porous Bills defense to get things right. And by “right,” I mean sniffing 30 points. After another week where even 17 was out of reach, I’m moving it. I’m ready to slam the ejection-seat button.
In 20 quarters as a starter, the Vikings offense led by Kyler Murray is averaging 17 points per game. He only had 5 TDs and 3 INTs, with two of those passing touchdowns coming because Justin Jefferson was ridiculous. After the Saints game inspired confidence, things were about to turn around; they don’t exist yet. His QBR for the Lions game was just 36.8. Nothing looks easy right now. Everything is a slog. The passing game was an occasional TJ Hockenson seam-route catch that broke up a series of three-and-outs. Yes, this is an exaggeration, but it is rooted in some truth. I was really excited about signing Murray in the spring because of that dual-threat ability that we haven’t consistently had in over 20 years. With a few highlights here and there, that didn’t materialize as I envisioned, either.
There are three possibilities. Scenario A is Kevin O’Connell putting Murray in advantageous situations to score 24+ points a game, but Murray repeatedly fails to execute the offense well. Scenario B is that, more often than not, the KOC doesn’t put Murray in a position to succeed by maximizing his skill set and adjusting the play calling to his strengths. Scenario C is pretty much the same. I suspect the latter, if A is slightly larger than B.
Regardless, the responsibility to fix it rests with the KOC, the head coach and de facto offensive coordinator. If it’s A, he owes it to the rest of the team to see what Carson Wentz can do. If it’s B, he needs to swallow his pride, own up to his mistakes, and get out of his comfort zone. If it’s C, they need to work together to find the fastest viable way to meet in the middle and fix things right away. It’s like tomorrow. Or now. Better yet, yesterday.
But what is the urgency? We’re 6-1! It’s only the 8th Sunday; there is plenty of time! Umm, no. Nothing really. Two playoff spots go to the winners of the NFC East and South, leaving five spots for the following seven teams: Vikings, Lions, Packers, Bears, 49ers, Seahawks, and Rams. A 10-7 record may not be enough this year. More on this in a moment.
Either way, outside help at quarterback seems unlikely. The only viable plug-and-play trade target is Kirk Cousins. Raiders eyes will light up if Nolan Teasley’s name comes up on caller ID. They hold all the cards, and given our desperation, the price is likely to be expensive. And that’s assuming they do, because at 4-4 they’re still theoretically alive for the playoffs in a competitive AFC and Cousins is having a strong season.
Hey, if there’s a silver lining this week, at least we didn’t lose and didn’t have to watch JJ McCarthy lead the Giants to another victory. Next week? All bets are off. You can’t screw up the QB situation any worse than the Vikings have over the past three seasons. It’s really something to see.
Spoiler for my Week 9 game preview for a few days: I can’t pick the Vikings to beat any top team right now, because of how this offense is playing. What’s the point of doing these articles if I’m not honest? There’s a real chance the Bills can beat us comfortably in front of a nationwide audience on Monday night. Josh Allen is the hardest quarterback in the NFL to defend. Playing at Lambeau Field isn’t easy, and it’s on a short week. Then came the 6-1 49ers on a neutral field, with Brock Purdy playing like an MVP.
Seeing 6-4 on November 23rd is a distinct possibility, and memories of 2003 will move from a whisper to a bullhorn in all directions. You are who your record says you are until your record captures who you really are. I’m afraid we might be in a boat, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.
Without saying a word, Justin Jefferson’s expressions throughout the game spoke volumes, as did his decision not to address the media afterward. Silence is often the most effective form of communication. He deserves more. Super Bowl caliber defense and special teams deserve better. This locker room probably doesn’t reflect a 6-1 team.
Today, the “QB Whisperer” is a 5-star restaurant that serves cold pizza and stale French fries. If your goal is to raise a playoff banner at US Bank Stadium next September, possibly make the playoffs and be one-and-done, then this team is for you. If you really want to win a Super Bowl, something needs to happen at QB immediately. We wasted the bye week that would have bought us time.
If that means scrapping the 2022-2026 modern West Coast offense playbook and starting over with plays tailored to Murray’s unique strengths and comfort level, fine. If it’s benching Murray for Wentz, fine. If Cousins is brought in before the deadline, that’s fine. The status quo is no longer acceptable, and the jar of excuses is empty. Fix it.