Missed opportunities.
Anthony Barr personally set the Vikings offense up with two incredibly great opportunities. He intercepted two Matthew Stafford passes. On the first, the end zone was in front of him. A touchdown was there for him but he couldn’t get his footing. Instead of a defensive score, Barr gave his offense the ball at the Rams 11-yard line. The Vikings could only manage a field goal. Barr nearly returned his second interception of Stafford for a touchdown. He gave his offense the ball at the Rams 2-yard line. Alexander Mattison needed one play to score the touchdown. The Barr interceptions produced 10 points. They could’ve/should’ve produced 14 points. Against the high-scoring Rams, the Vikings had to take advantage of every opportunity. Especially incredibly great opportunities.
Missed opportunities. The Vikings offense had the ball inside the Rams 11-yard line on five occasions. The results of those opportunities:
1. Interception
2. Field Goal
3. Touchdown
4. Field Goal
5. Touchdown
20 points. It could’ve/should’ve been 35 points. The interception was brutal. On their second possession of the game, the Vikings offense crafted a nice 12-play 84-yard drive. They moved from their own 8-yard to the Rams 8-yard line. It was all for not. Kirk Cousins fired a pass off the hands of K.J. Osborn at the goal line. Instead of a touchdown the ball floated into the hands of Travin Howard. As a reward for doing nothing more than just standing in the end zone, Howard gets himself an easy, pivotal interception.
Too many short field goals. Greg Joseph booted field goals of 23 and 24 yards. Field goals that short are so disappointing. Getting some points is better than no points but six points rather than 14 points feels like an 8-point penalty.
The Vikings intercepted three Matthew Stafford passes. There were opportunities for at least three more. Missed opportunities. Cameron Dantzler dropped one on the Rams first possession of the game. Stafford threw to Dantzler as if he was the intended receiver. The Rams went on to score a touchdown. It should’ve been going the other way. Whether it was the Vikings doing or not, Stafford was off all game. Unless he was throwing to a wide-open Cooper Kupp. There were ten of those. Has Kupp had a contested catch this season?
I felt that this game turned midway through the third quarter when Brandon Powell took a punt back 61 yards for a score. The Vikings had scratched and clawed their way into a 13-10 game. The Rams had opened the second half with interception, interception, punt. The Vikings were wrestling control of the game from the Rams. It was right there. Instead of taking it, the Vikings offense went three-and-out and punted. After Dan Chisena was pushed (perhaps in the back, who’s to say) past Powell there was a clear sideline. In a blink, the game changed and the Rams had a two-score lead. 20-10. The Vikings kept fighting but the Rams had regained control of the game.
I suppose this game was like most of the Vikings games this season. They’ve had opportunities to win more games than they lost. Honestly, they’ve had opportunities to win every game. They’ve repeatedly let those opportunities slip away. The seven wins didn’t have to be as close as they were. The eight losses didn’t have to end in losses. Teams, even good teams, have games like that sprinkled throughout any given season. The 2021 Vikings have had 14 one-score games. It’s been a strange, frustrating, heart-twisting season. I’m into my sixth decade of Vikings games. I’ve never seen a season like this one.
I feel like I’ve been saying this for about a month. If they want the playoffs, the Vikings can’t lose another game. They’ve lost another game more than once. Surprisingly, the playoffs are still possible. Before the Rams game, the Vikings controlled their playoff fate. Now, they need help. They also need to win their remaining games. @ Green Bay next Sunday night. Chicago Bears in Week 18. The Vikings have to win both games. Then hope for help.
Missed opportunities.
Oh yeah, Aaron Donald is ridiculous.
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