I said this in the open thread the other day …
I think the Vikings are a little underrated. There is not much belief in Sam Darnold and I think that will soon change. I expect the offense to move the ball and score some points and for the defense to make it very difficult for the 49ers. I think this game is closer than many expect and for the Vikings to actually be able to win.
… It seems like that was true no? It is good to see the majority of the fan base hopping on the wagon. May as well, right? The team is heading in the right direction. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has done a pretty good job navigating the end of Kirk Cousins’ tenure and securing a hopeful QB for the future without giving up too much draft capital. Yes, the picks are slim next year, but a couple of trade-downs could rectify that situation. The question is, do they want quantity or quality?
They also will have $66 million in effective cap space next year. What free agents would they target and at what positions? I doubt they go for an interior lineman. I think that they are hoping that Ed Ingram continues to improve incrementally so that he is about average. The guard market exploded last year. Twenty guards make at least $10 million per year. Unless Ingram bombs, they might stand pat and choose not to spend money on that position, which is wise. I think of defensive tackle and cornerback as probable free-agent target positions, depending on who is available and the price point. Depending on the negotiations with Camryn Bynum, they might look at safety, but even if they extend him, they could need another one if Smith retires. It could be that they will be frugal next year as well.
https://overthecap.com/free-agency
The facts support the idea that the team is trending up and the seats on the wagon are filling up fast.
Are you ready to get on board?
Minnesota Vikings News and Links
Sam Darnold’s Deep Pass, Leadership on Key Drive & Scrambling Help Vikings Topple 49ers
Jordan Mason cut up the field and waltzed into the end zone untouched.
And the pressure was on.
The Vikings had to have a response to San Francisco’s 12-play, 99-yard touchdown drive. Sam Darnold had to quell his former team’s comeback and try to do it without phenomenal receiver Justin Jefferson.
What transpired next inspired the U.S. Bank Stadium sellout crowd. Or maybe it was vice-versa and the roaring SKOL chants of the 66,741 fans encouraged Minnesota to outshine and out-physical the favored 49ers.
“You just kind of felt them willing us further and further to go get this thing done, so I want to compliment our crowd,” Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell remarked in his opening statement after the team’s 23-17 win against the reigning conference champions. “Absolutely love, love, love our fans.”
It wasn’t perfect, but it was pretty enough because Minnesota was the aggressor.
Darnold assailed the Niners pass defense, sandwiching third-down completions to Brandon Powell with arguably his biggest throw of the day. No, not the 97-yard airstrike to Jefferson but the 26-yard back-shoulder pass to Jalen “Speedy” Nailor gliding up the seam to San Francisco’s 28 with 7:41 left.
Nailor said he expected the ball on his upfield shoulder. Darnold had whole-field vision of the play, though, and adjusted to San Francisco’s two-high coverage by twisting Nailor around, away from harm.
“Right where it needed to be,” Nailor said.
“Most of those throws you throw over the top of the defender,” added Darnold, explaining that he sensed space behind Nailor. “For Speedy and I to be on the same page with that and him expecting that – not necessarily expecting the back-shoulder but reacting the way that he did – was huge.”
“That is big-time quarterback play for all those folks out there that want examples of it,” asserted O’Connell, cognizant that the Vikings offense has been shorthanded. “I think we got two weeks of some pretty tangible examples of some [great] quarterback play from Darnold. I’m really proud of him.”
No Jefferson in that stretch. Oh and no Jordan Addison this week or tight end T.J. Hockenson at all, yet.
“He’s playing quarterback and playing it at a really high level,” O’Connell said. “I want to highlight [receivers coach] Keenan McCardell and that receivers group, because we’re already down Jordan. We’re already down T.J. Plays are built with No. 18 as a focal point. We got a lot of double coverage today on him, and he was able to have his impact. But then when he goes down there are so many moving [pieces] – it’s musical chairs.”
On the messaging Darnold gives the huddle when the offense is lacking superstar power, he stays true to his unflinching demeanor: “This might suck for you guys to hear this, but I don’t say anything. Those guys know exactly what we need to do. … No one was surprised when that happened, when guys were stepping up and we’re going to continue to have situations – unfortunately that’s how this league is, some guys are going to step up or need to step up some weeks and they’re going to continue to do that.”
NFL power rankings: Steelers and Vikings rise; Cowboys and 49ers slide for Week 3
13. Minnesota Vikings 2-0 (19)
The Vikings have an awesome attack playmaking defense under Brian Flores. That has made things easier for an offense in major transition with Sam Darnold at QB and some key injuries developing in the receiver corps. It will be difficult to sustain this, but doing it to the 49ers again made it a lot more legitimate.
Ranked below the Jets, Packers, and Lions. Really?
NFL Week 3 Power Rankings: Cowboys, Ravens in trouble? Are Saints, Vikings for real?
7. Minnesota Vikings (2-0)
Last week: 14
Sunday: Beat San Francisco 49ers 23-17
Only Randy Moss and Justin Jefferson have had at least 30 100-yard receiving games in the first five games of their career. Jefferson had 133 on Sunday on the strength of a 97-yard touchdown catch, but he left the game with what he called a “little” thigh bruise. Quarterback Sam Darnold is hoping it’s not serious. In another attempt to fulfill the promise that got him drafted No. 3 overall in 2018, Darnold is off to a good start. He’s fifth in the NFL in passer rating (111.8) and ninth in passing yards (476), according to TruMedia.
Vikings snap counts and notable PFF grades from Week 2 win over 49ers
Notable PFF grades on offense
1. Bradbury — 84.4
2. Chandler — 79.8
3. Jefferson — 79.8
4. Darrisaw — 78.1
5. Nailor — 72.6
Notable PFF grades on defense
1. Jones — 88.6
2. Cashman — 80.9
3. Griffin — 69.0
4. Metellus — 68.5
5. Van Ginkel — 66.2
PFF Falling in Love with Minnesota Vikings After Week 2
Vikings (Thru 2 Wks) Overall Offense Pass Run Defense Cov RushD
PFF Grade 83.3 79.4 83.1 79.3 76.5 79.4 77.0
League Rank 3rd 4th 3rd 7th 6th 6th 2nd
The revamped and revitalized Vikings are thriving behind a much deeper defense
The changes the Minnesota Vikings made this year to a team that won seven games in 2023 didn’t move the needle much outside of their headquarters, making them a trendy pick for last place in a strong division by the influencers, oddsmakers and pundits who drive the offseason narratives around the NFL.
Ten of the 18 players who played against San Francisco are new this season, and only one, first-rounder Dallas Turner, was a draft pick. Edge rushers Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel are good enough for every-down duty. Jihad Ward has provided another pass-rushing option off the bench. Linebacker Blake Cashman has been flying all over the field. Stephon Gilmore, the 13-year veteran, has given defensive coordinator Brian Flores the shutdown presence in man-to-man coverage he missed last season. Shaquill Griffin has helped bolster the cornerback group. From the first day of training camp, the creativity, energy and chemistry of the new-look group was clear.
Justin Jefferson downplays quad contusion after 97-yard TD powers Vikings to win over 49ers
“Just a little thigh bruise, contusion, whatever you want to call it. Something that happens a lot during football,” Jefferson said. “I’ve just got to get it feeling well and be ready to go next week.”
Justin Jefferson Reaches 400 Catches and 6,000 Yards in Career as Vikings Host 49ers
The Vikings receiver recorded his 400th career reception, tying Ahmad Rashad for eighth in Vikings franchise history, on Sunday against the 49ers.
Jefferson tied Rashad with his fourth catch of the game — a 15-yarder over the middle during Minnesota’s final possession of the first half. The drive ended with a 39-yard field goal by Will Reichard for a 13-7 halftime lead.
Playing in his 62nd career game, Jefferson tied a record for fastest player to 6,000 receiving yards, matching a mark set by set Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth (62 games) with the Chargers in the 1960s.
Former UNC RB Ty Chandler delivers big day for Minnesota Vikings
The North Carolina Tar Heels were extremely lucky to have Ty Chandler for their 2022 season, as he joined a long list of running backs to hit the 1,000-yard mark in a single season.
Chandler’s lone year in Chapel Hill wasn’t a successful year overall, with UNC finishing 6-7. North Carolina did make a bowl game, but lost in the 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl to South Carolina.
Chandler shined yet again on Sunday, Sept. 15 in the Minnesota Vikings’ 22-17 upset win of the reigning NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers.
Primarily in relief of Minnesota starting running back Aaron Jones, Chandler carried the football 10 times for 82 yards, averaging 8.2 yards per carry. Chandler’s highlight was in the second quarter with the Vikings up 10-0, when he broke off a 25-yard carry to pick up a huge first down.
Brock Purdy Confirms: Vikings’ Defensive Scheme under Brian Flores.. “Man, it’s Crazy”
On 3rd downs, they didn’t rush five or more, very often. Instead, they relied on their “NASCAR package” to get pressure on Purdy. That’s is a four-man defensive line made up of all EDGE rushers (Van Ginkel, Greenard, Turner, Pat Jones).
After the game, Brian Flores tapped the 49ers quarterback on the shoulder after the game. A shell-shocked Purdy turned around, shook the defensive coordinator’s hand. He only got in a few words before Flores walked away. The CBS microphones caught them clearly. “Great job today. Your scheme man, it’s crazy.”
Still no respect: Texans favored to beat Vikings in Minneapolis in Week 3
Even after beating the 49ers in impressive fashion on Sunday to move to 2-0, the Vikings still aren’t garnering much respect from the sportsbooks. They’ve opened as 2.5-point home underdogs for their Week 3 matchup against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium.
The Texans are also 2-0, but their point differential of +8 is notably worse than the Vikings’ +28 mark. Houston beat the Colts by two in their opener in Indianapolis and then held on for a 19-13 home win over the Bears on Sunday Night Football.
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