Soak it in, folks. Wins like these for the Vikings are few and far between. Few as in the number of playoff games we’ve won this century, and far as in the vast gap between Cowboys fans’ endless arrogance and the team’s actual record the last thirty years. I mean, what was that in Chicago?
But I digress.
Indeed, our 38-point margin of victory is the highest since we defeated the Jaguars by a 40-point margin back in 1998 (50-10). How rare was this? Well, this is only the second time the Vikings have scored 40 points since 2019, while only two teams (Jets and Raiders) have done it fewer times than us since 2010.
Here are some quick observations:
Carson Wentz, as advertised. Wentz played well. He was efficient and executed the offense with the expected veteran savvy. Some beautiful throws reminded you why he was the second overall pick in the 2016 draft.
A stat line of 14/20 for 173 yards and 2 TDs isn’t going to win you any weeks in fantasy football, but the game flow didn’t require anything more. Given his history and the weapons at his disposal, I have no doubt Wentz could win us games regardless of the situation.
With one start already under his belt, along with Jordan Addison and Ryan Kelly (likely) returning, an impressive performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers wouldn’t be surprising. The same goes for the following week against the Cleveland Browns, although their defense is on a different level.
Before the kickoff of Week 1, Troy Aikman noted that, given last year’s record and the improved team around him, J.J. McCarthy faced the most pressure of any quarterback in the NFL. If Wentz plays well and the team is 4-1, the pressure gets ratcheted up even more. Wentz running the show (and well) would then be a known entity, and the more impatient segment of the fan base would clamor for change at the first sign of trouble.
In my previous article, I explored the possible scenarios for Wentz as the starter, including one where he never relinquishes the job.
My opinion? McCarthy returns and will be exactly as envisioned. I have unwavering faith that he’s the Vikings’ QBOTF.
Christian Darrisaw is the best left tackle in the league. Given his track record and age, this is not hyperbole. After missing nearly an entire calendar year, he calmly comes back and puts Trey Hendrickson and his 35 sacks over the past two seasons on a milk carton. Zero pressures, zero QB hits, zero sacks. Welcome back, CD.
Jordan Mason, RB 1. I received some pushback in the comments of an earlier article, stating that it was not a matter of whether Mason would take over the starting role from Aaron Jones, but rather when. We’re here. I love Jones, and he was fantastic last year, but at this point in his career, with all the carries and hits, a complementary role is a better fit for him.
After three weeks, Mason has the fifth-highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade among RBs (76.7). His 5.4 yards-per-carry is impressive enough, but even more so when you consider 140 of his 214 yards have come after contact. This is after logging the league-leading forced missed tackle rate (37.3%) in 2024. What a signing this was.
Isaiah Rodgers, superstar. I expressed optimism that Rodgers’ 76.0 PFF grade in limited snaps (329) in 2024 would translate to a larger role, but….wow. After three weeks, his 90.9 overall PFF grade tops all 158 eligible cornerbacks. In 40 years of watching the NFL, I can’t recall a more dominant performance from a defender in a single game than what we saw from Rodgers on Sunday.
Brian Flores finds the groove, as predicted. I had zero doubt about this. Halloween is still weeks away, but Flores was loading up on more disguises than a Spirit Halloween. Please don’t take my word for it, J.J. Watt was thoroughly impressed.
If we stay relatively healthy (a big “if” given early-season injuries), this unit could be special. I’m talking the best defense since bell-bottom jeans and Fonzie jumping the shark special.
KAM’s plan: so far, so good? Yes, KAM’s tenure may depend largely on what happens with McCarthy (TBD). Of course, his overall drafting record has been inconsistent. His work in free agency, however, has been outstanding. Coupled with notable trades and some expected (Dallas Turner) and somewhat surprising (Levi Drake Rodriguez) draft contributors, things look promising early on.
The Mason and Rodgers additions didn’t garner national headlines or dominate talk shows the day after, but they could be gamechangers.
The Dallas Turner hype we heard all offseason appears legit. Per PFF, he led the team with five pressures on Sunday on only 57 percent of the snaps. After three games, he’s 32nd in leaguewide EDGE pressures despite ranking just 76th in pass rush snaps.
Jalen Redmond (72.6 PFF overall) and Rodriguez (75.7 PFF overall) could complement Hargrave and Allen to provide the kind of elite defensive line rotation that has been proven instrumental to the Philadelphia Eagles’ success.
Donovan Jackson played outstandingly in Week 1, but a wrist injury might explain some of the hiccups against the Falcons and, to a lesser extent, last Sunday. I felt he looked solid, but he only received a 55.3 PFF rating for the week. I’m no doctor, but you don’t have to be to understand how vital wrists and hands are to effective blocking technique. I anticipate good things when he’s healthy again for Week 7.
Oh, one more.
We are so back.
0 CommentsSee More:
