Sam Darnold and Jordan Addison highlight Studs and Duds with career days, send Kirk Cousins home with a 3 touchdown loss
The Minnesota Vikings didn't just beat Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons, they put a second-half whooping on them with a final score of 42-21. The Vikings got off to a slow start but still held a 14-10 lead at halftime. They did take things to another level in the second half, taking advantage of […]
The Minnesota Vikings didn't just beat Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons, they put a second-half whooping on them with a final score of 42-21.
The Vikings got off to a slow start but still held a 14-10 lead at halftime. They did take things to another level in the second half, taking advantage of two second-half Falcons turnovers by scoring touchdowns. j
This week, the studs and duds are evident, as the Vikings just put a whipping on the Falcons to make a statement to the rest of the National Football League.
Stud: WR Jordan Addison
The Vikings struck gold with the selection of wide receiver Justin Jefferson at 22nd overall. In fact, they have a long history of selecting great wide receivers in the 20s with Percy Harvin and Randy Moss also being selected in that range.
The Vikings ended up taking Addison with the 23rd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft and it's paying dividends. Addison was crucial early in the game when Justin Jefferson was slow to get going. The adjustment that Addison made of a 49-yard touchdown in the first half was huge and got the offense going.
It didn't stop there, as Addison caught three touchdown passes on the day among his eight catches for 133 yards.
Dud: Pass rush
Arguably the biggest key to the Vikings' win over the Falcons was getting pressure on quarterback Kirk Cousins. He is at his best when kept clean and is also good against the blitz. That means the Vikings would need to get pressure on Cousins with just three or four pass rushers.
Ultimately, that didn't happen much at all. The Falcons' offensive line was on their A-game Sunday afternoon not falling for their exotic looks and stunts, which was a big factor in the Falcons being able to attack down the field. The one thing you cannot do is give Cousins time to attack down the field and the Vikings played right into that on Sunday.
Stud: WR Justin Jefferson
It was inevitable that Jefferson would end up getting back into the end zone. He hadn't gotten a score in the last six games but that changed quickly on Sunday afternoon.
He got the second and third touchdowns for the Vikings, including a 52-yard touchdown in the third quarter that ended up getting him over 7,000 yards receiving, making him the quickest and youngest wide receiver ever to hit that milestone. There is nothing that Jefferson can't do.
Stud: QB Sam Darnold
There has been a lot of discussion about what the Vikings will end up doing with quarterback Sam Darnold this offseason. Right now, they haven't discussed an extension with him and that probably won't happen until after the season.
Even if they don't choose to extend him, Darnold has been incredible this season for the Vikings and that has extended on Sunday against the Falcons. He wasn't just great, Darnold threw five touchdown passes while the man he replaced threw two interceptions. It was a banner day for Darnold, who thrived in front of the man he replaced.
Stud: DL Jalen Redmond
The Vikings could not get much going on Sunday in terms of a pass rush, but their best moments came from first-year player Jalen Redmond.
One week after getting a game ball from head coach Kevin O'Connell, Redmond had the best game of his career. He was the only interior player getting penetration and he made those opportunities count. Redmond batted down two passes and got two tackles for loss. He continues to earn more playing time on Sundays.
Justin Jefferson continues remarkable career by achieving another NFL record
There is nobody better than Justin Jefferson
