The clock was winding down at the end of the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers game last Sunday. This signified two things to the fans inside US Bank Stadium. Not only was the game clock running out, but the Vikings’ playoff hopes were dwindling at the same time. Coming off a 13-win season in 2022 and with their high-powered offense, no one predicted that they would be struggling like this.
All is not lost, but it will be a tough road back for the Purple. How did they get to this point? And what needs to be done to right the ship? Let’s examine every facet of their on-field performance and explore what improvements have to happen for this team to have any chance at a postseason berth.
Offense
Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. The Vikings’ offense has committed nine turnovers this season, and a continuation of that will spell doom to their playoff aspirations.
Vikings Passing Game
The offense can definitely move the ball via the pass. Quarterback Kirk Cousins leads the entire NFL in passes completed, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson has been his All-World self as usual. Tight end T.J. Hokenson is showing why the Vikings signed him to a long-term, lucrative contract. And rookie Jordan Addison has been as good as advertised and has been smoothly integrated into the offense.
Disappointing Running Game
Minnesota’s running game has been a disappointment, to say the least. Although Alexander Mattison had an approved performance against the Chargers, the Vikings’ rushing offense still ranks 31st in the NFL in rushing yards per game. The Vikings’ offensive line has improved on their pass blocking protecting Cousins. But they have had a more difficult time creating holes for the slashing Mattison.
Two more notes on the offense. Kirk Cousins is not headed to New York or anywhere else. At least not yet. This is a rumor some lazy sportswriters started because they were bored. That shot up the rumor mill faster this week than a Roadrunner.
And to all those who expected Mattison to become a clone of Dalvin Cook. Guess what? He’s a totally different type of runner. He probably won’t break any long runs like Cook did. But he also won’t lose as many yards on some interior runs. The Vikings should rotate Ty Chandler and/or Cam Akers in more for a change of pace.
Defense
Vikings EDGE Danielle Hunter (99) – Minnesota Vikings
UGH! There is not much going right for the Minnesota Vikings on this side of the ball so far this season. Other than Danielle Hunter, the pressure on the opposing quarterbacks has been severely lacking. Even with the advent of defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ new blitz packages, the pressure just hasn’t been there. Perhaps the return of Marcus Davenport at the edge will give this discipline a shot in the arm.
Pace has Been Awesome
The play of the linebackers has been kind of a mixed bag. On the plus side, undrafted free agent Ivan Pace Jr. had been the best surprise of the season. He’s smart a sure tackler, and his coverage skills have been impressive. Veteran Jordan Hick’s tackling skills have not diminished, but he has clearly lost a step when pursuing an opposing runner. He also seems to be a step behind on his coverage assignments.
Vikings Secondary Influx
Vikings S Harrison Smith (22) – Jeffrey Becker/USA TODAY Sports
It may be a long year for the Vikings secondary. The standout performer out of this unit has been safety Josh Mettelus. He has been aggressive on his run support, and he’s been a disrupter on passing routes. Cam Bynum has had some nice moments, but he still lacks consistency, especially when covering deeper routes.
And Father Time has sadly caught up to Harrison Smith. His coverage skills have been declining for several years, but now his tackling has become erratic. And on blitzes where he used to be so effective, he is now arriving at the quarterback too late.
The cornerback position might be the weakest position on the team right now. Veteran Byron Murphy started the season with two well-played games, but last week was not a good one for him. Akayleb Evans and Mekhi Blackmon show promise, but the sample size is much too small to accurately evaluate yet.
Disappointing Draft Picks
And our two top draft picks from last year have yet to see the field on a defensive snap. Safety Lewis Cine and cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. have been passed up on the depth chart, and their future with the team is not promising at this point.
Special Teams: Not much to report on this front. Punter Ryan Wright is having another excellent year, both in distance and placement. Kicker Greg Joseph has had few opportunities to shine, but he is perfect from the field so far. Kick-returner Chandler has only one return at this point. And punt-returner Brandon Powell had had some nice moments. But he also coughed up the ball at a crucial point in the Eagles game.
Vikings Outlook
The solutions. Eliminating the turnovers on offense would help sustain more drives. On the offensive line, perhaps the addition of Dalton Risner will help improve the interior running game.
On defense, Davenport stepping up and becoming a legitimate pass-rush threat would take some of the pressure off of Hunter and the young defensive backs. And one of the young corners has to step up and become a strong counterbalance to the steady Murphy.
