Vikings have a brand new problem to worry about after loss to Lions
From trying to figure out the quarterback position, to a wilting defense, to navigating a slew of key injuries – the Minnesota Vikings have dealt with a lot of problems in 2023. Yet, they're still in the playoff hunt after an extremely tough loss to the Detroit Lions.But, a brand new problem not only played […]
From trying to figure out the quarterback position, to a wilting defense, to navigating a slew of key injuries – the Minnesota Vikings have dealt with a lot of problems in 2023.
Yet, they're still in the playoff hunt after an extremely tough loss to the Detroit Lions.
But, a brand new problem not only played a huge role in Week 16's loss – it could sink their playoff hopes, as a whole.
And that's one thing that aggravates coaches, teams, and fans more than anything: penalties.
The Vikings committed a season-high eight infractions for a season-high 64-yards on Sunday after coming into the game averaging both the second-fewest penalties per game (4.78) and per play.
These weren't just penalties that made life harder or got in the way. They not only did that, but there were several back-breaking flags that predetermined certain outcomes.
The first penalty, even though it was highly questionable and shouldn't have been called, was the roughing the passer call on Patrick Jones that turned what would've been a 3rd and 21 into a first down. That drive ended in a field goal that gave the Lions a three-point lead.
The next one was a holding call on the subsequent kick return that gave the Vikings the ball at their own 10 instead of the 34. The Vikings then suffered two straight false starts that pinned them into a 2nd and 21 and it eventually led to a third and long, where Nick Mullens tried to hit Jordan Addison deep and was intercepted, instead. Said interception led to a touchdown that put the Lions up by 10 in the first half.
Then, there was a defensive pass interference call that fortunately wiped out what would've been a holding call resulting in a 1st and 20 that could've taken the Vikings out of field goal range just before halftime. Instead, the penalties offset and Mullens hit Justin Jefferson on an insane touchdown catch the next play.
The Vikings managed to stay out of trouble until the fourth quarter, but the levees broke and it eventually killed their chances of winning the game.
Ed Ingram's unnecessary roughness penalty -which was a bad one- put the offense in a 3rd and 18 that forced Mullens to take a deep shot that was intercepted. And then there was the declined offensive holding call because declining the call still forced the Vikings into a field goal. That declined penalty, along with the aforementioned offset holding call, are hidden developments that actually made the day look better than it actually was.
And then, of course, there was the illegal contact call on Jaylyn Williams that turned what would've been a punt into a first down, forced the Vikings to spend their final timeout of the game, and bled two more minutes off the clock before the eventual loss.
"There was another, I think, 2nd and 26, where you know, they got us for a roughing call. [I'd] have to go back and take a look at that one," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters after the game. "The illegal contract on Jaylyn Williams; just knowing how they were defending us, a lot of the day, with some hands-on in the in the 'move area'. [I need to] go back and take a look at that, as well.
"But, fact of the matter is, we didn't do enough to win the football game, overcome whatever adversity whether it was injuries or anything else."
In all, the Vikings could've easily finished the day with 10 penalties for 84-yards, but even the offset/declined ones still had a big impact.
Minnesota simply can't afford to have these self-inflicted mistakes. Especially with the newest slew of injuries. They need to stay ahead of the chains as much as possible, and obviously, penalties keep that from happening. And even worse, they can force a mistake-prone QB like Mullens into making mistakes that shouldn't happen.
The Vikings have a lot of problems, right now, and while there's a way to circumvent them – they can kiss their playoff hopes goodbye if they continue to be their own worst enemy.
