A brutal Vikings offensive performance is the focus of Week 5 studs and duds
The Minnesota Vikings found a way to win their fifth game of the season, improving to 5-0 on the season with a 23-17 win over the New York Jets. It wasn't a pretty game, but whether its that or ugly, a win is a win and the Vikings will take it. The game was a […]
The Minnesota Vikings found a way to win their fifth game of the season, improving to 5-0 on the season with a 23-17 win over the New York Jets. It wasn't a pretty game, but whether its that or ugly, a win is a win and the Vikings will take it.
The game was a tale of two halves for the Vikings offense. They were able to move the ball somewhat in the first half but struggled to do anything in the second half. Luckily, they had the defense carry them with three interceptions on the day. The studs and duds are plentiful with a lot to learn going into the bye week.
Stud: OLB Andrew Van Ginkel
The Vikings did a lot this season to try and fix their defense and elevate it to a point where they could be consistent. The scheme did a lot of the heavy lifting last year and now the Vikings have the talent to match. One of the biggest moves they made was signing Van Ginkel away from the Dolphins.
In week one, Van Ginkel intercepted Daniel Jones on a screen pass for a pick-six and he did so again against Rodgers, this time dropping in the path of a slant and taking it 63 yards for a first-quarter touchdown. He's been a revolution this season for the Vikings.
Dud: QB Sam Darnold
It wasn't a pretty game for Darnold. He looked relatively solid at the beginning of the game helping lead the Vikings to a 17-0 lead. Things seemed to take a turn for the worse when he got hit hard early in the game, causing him to miss a play.
Over the course of the game, Darnold was very inconsistent. He only completed 45.1% of his passes for 179 yards and an interception. He wasn't making bad reads or decisions, but the throws were consistently off-target and it caused a lot of issues. Hopefully, this was just a one-time thing for Darnold but it's something to monitor after the bye.
Stud: Pass blocking
When you look at the numbers, Darnold ended up getting hit a little bit too much and was sacked times, but it wasn't because of poor pass blocking but rather really good defense by the Jets.
Consistently throughout the game, the offensive line was giving Darnold clean pockets to work with and plenty of time to throw the football. The solid coverage on the back end had Darnold hold onto the ball longer than he wanted to, which allowed the pass rush to get home. The Vikings couldn't make those consistent pockets work but it wasn't due to the offensive line.
Dud: WR Justin Jefferson
It feels weird that Jefferson is being classified as a dud but it makes sense within context. He's not a dud in a general sense but is when you look at his standard, which is extremely high.
Jefferson had trouble holding onto the football on Sunday. On the first offensive play of the game for the Vikings, Jefferson caught a screen pass and fumbled the ball almost immediately. He also struggled to catch the ball with multiple drops on the day, including one that was almost an interception. Sure, he finished the game with six receptions for 92 yards, but it was the plays that he didn't make which made the difference.
Stud: ILB Blake Cashman
The Vikings' defense overall was really good on Sunday afternoon with the second level having played really well. Ivan Pace Jr. got a sack and Cashman was flying all over the field. The Vikings held the Jets to 36 yards on 14 carries but it was one play that stood out for Cashman.
With the Jets trying to get a drive going, Rodgers faced pressure on second down. Cashman got pressure on him and had to work hard to impact the throw. Cashman fights through blockers and races to Rodgers who escaped the pocket and hit his arm to force an incompletion. That kind of hustle is huge in impacting the opposing offense and Cashman's had it in droves.
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