5 winners and 1 loser from Vikings’ shellacking of Saints to improve their record to 5-0
It wasn’t the prettiest of wins for the Vikings, but they saw a lot of growth from key players in their win vs. Saints.
The Minnesota Vikings found a way to get another win on Sunday afternoon, this time 23-13 over the New Orleans Saints.
Looking back at the game, there were multiple points in the game where the Vikings could have either lost the game or blown it open. The two fumbles that resulted in every one of the Saints’ points were potential big turning points, but the Vikings didn’t allow that to happen, instead generating scoring drives right after those plays.
They got some huge performances from multiple players on Sunday afternoon, and they highlight our winners and losers.
Loser: Ball security
The Vikings’ offense finally looked like the version we thought would be on the field all season, as Kyler Murray looked like the guy at quarterback. They were finding ways to move the ball in a variety of ways, but once they got into the red zone, things got rough.
In the first quarter, the Vikings drove down into the red zone, but an Aaron Jones fumble stopped the drive in its tracks. The Saints then went on a 15-play, 66-yard touchdown drive.
Then in the third quarter, the Vikings called a screen pass to Myles Price on a third-and-long. It was a smart call to keep the ball safe. Well, Pete Werner punched the ball out, and Jonas Sanker ran it back over 80 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. It swung the game from a 16-7 game to a 13-13 tie. You can’t be doing that if you are the Vikings.
Winner: QB Kyler Murray
We have been waiting for this game from Kyler Murray since the season began, and it’s finally come to fruition. Murray started the say 11/11 for 106 yards and was consistently dealing. When there wasn’t anything down the field, Murray was creating himself, scrambling for first downs and evading pressure behind an offensive line that struggled all game. This is exactly what you want to see from Murray, and it’s very repeatable.
The biggest thing with this game and the fourth quarter against the Miami Dolphins is how comfortable Murray looked consistently throughout the game. If the Vikings get this Kyler Murray all season, the Vikings are a Super Bowl team.
Winner: Brian Flores
The Vikings’ defense made life a living hell for Tyler Shough all game long. It wasn’t close for the majority of the game, and a lot of it is thanks to the defense. Brian Flores’ unit made life miserable for Tyler Shough consistently. He only had 96 passing yards on 16 completions, and the offense mustered up just 142 yards total.
What really stood out about their performance was how consistent they were. The pass rush was both suffocating and controlling, as they didn’t let Shough escape the pocket. They continue to thrive in every situation, and are in a great spot moving forward.
Winner: CB Byron Murphy Jr.
The secondary did a great job overall on Sunday. Wide receivers caught just eight passes for 72 yards on the day, and they held Chris Olave in check, which was a huge key to the game.
One of the big winners on the day was cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who was the beneficiary of two Shough interceptions. He got one on a scramble drill by Shough and the other one with Muphy playing quarters where he didn’t bite on a slugo route in the fourth quarter. He’s not your traditional CB1, but Murphy has been playing the role well.
Winner: RB Aaron Jones
The running game for the Vikings has been a major area of focus all season long. It looked much improved in the first game against the Green Bay Packers, but then Jordan Mason went on injured reserve with a broken thumb. He is likely to return coming out of the bye week, but we can’t say enough about how good Aaron Jones has been.
Not only has Jones played nearly all the running back snaps for the Vikings over the last four weeks; he’s been really good and reliable in the process. Yeah, the fumble was unfortunate, but Jones rebounded with 113 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries. Jones was fantastic in a larger role, and that will hopefully get lesser with the addition of Mason.
Winner: WR Justin Jefferson
He’s the best wide receiver in football and caught a touchdown in triple coverage. What else do you need to know?
