The Minnesota Vikings edged the Cincinnati Bengals in the first preseason game for both teams last night. The score was 17-16. If not for Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis's decision to go for two points and the win rather than one point and the tie, the two teams might still be playing.
Football's back! In a preseason sort of way. It's still football. Football's fun.
The Vikings scratched 11 players before the game even started.
Adrian Peterson
Brandon Fusco
Jarius Wright
Shariff Floyd
Eric Kendricks
Terence Newman
Edmond Robinson
Brandon Watts
Scott Crichton
Marcus Sherels
Melvin White
Ten of those players, all but Peterson, didn't even make the trip to Cincinnati.
Those scratches resulted in the following starter changes
Defense:
DT Shamar Stephen for Shariff Floyd
LB Audie Cole for Eric Kendricks
CB Trae Waynes for Terence Newman
Offense:
RB Jerick McKinnon for Adrian Peterson
G Joe Berger for Brandon Fusco
It's hardly unusual for players to be scratched. It's the preseason.
As for the game, it was all Bengals in the first quarter. They broke out a no-huddle offense for the first few plays of the game. Whether that put the Vikings defenders on their heels or not the Vikings defenders were on their heels. The Bengals first possession ended in a missed a field goal. Their second possession ended with a failed fourth down attempt from the Vikings three-yard line. That drive covered 90 yards on 22 plays. 90 yards on 22 plays. 90 yards on 22 plays. The Bengals converted four 3rd-and-1's and five third downs in all. The only good thing about that drive from the Vikings point of view was that the Bengals didn't score. That's pretty good. Despite the positive end to that mind-numbing Bengals drive, Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer can't be happy.
In between the Bengals fine non-scoring drives, the Vikings offense had a real quick three-and-out. If you weren't paying real close attention you might think that the Viking didn't possess the ball at all in the first quarter. Bengals defensive tackle Geno Atkins and the rest of his linemates were all over Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Improving the offensive line was offseason priority #1 for the Vikings. Based on that first possession they aren't even close to fixing it. Thankfully, it's preseason game #1, it can be chalked up to a poor start, and the Bengals do have a dynamite defensive front.
The Vikings second possession was much better. They started on their own four-yard line and ended in the Bengals end zone. Bridgewater threw a beauty to Charles Johnson for a 49-yard touchdoqn. It was the sort of deep pass that the critics have been wanting to see from Bridgewater since he became the Vikings starter in 2014.
The Bengals tied it up two possessions later when backup quarterback A.J. McCarron hit Alex Erickson for a three-yard score. That touchdown was set up by a beautiful 40-yard throw and catch from McCarron to rookie receiver Tyler Boyd.
The Bengals lost receivers Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu in free agency this offseason. As much as I like Jones from his Cal days to his Bengals days I really think that Tyler Boyd will offset those losses. He's going to be a nice compliment to silky smooth A.J. Green. Boyd was one of my favorite receivers in the 2016 NFL Draft. He might not have game-breaking speed but he's so sound in everything that he does.
The Bengals left Vikings backup quarterback Shaun Hill 47 seconds to do something. And he did. He put the Vikings in position to end the first half with a 51-yard Blair Walsh field goal and a 10-7 halftime lead.
The play that set up Walsh's field goal was an 18-yard reception by rookie receiver Laquon Treadwell. His first NFL catch was the sort of chain-moving catch that the Vikings envisioned when they selected him in the first round. He has the size and skill to be a difference-maker.
Hill's two possessions only resulted in three points but it might have been his best play in this stint as the Vikings backup. No NFL team can afford to lose their starting quarterback but the Vikings quarterback situation is more precarious than most. The drop from Bridgewater to Hill is huge. This performance, despite being against the second- and third-string Bengals defenders was promising.
Speaking of backup quarterbacks, the Bengals might have the best starter-backup combo in the league. Andy Dalton and A.J. McCarron. The Bengals can win with either.
More backup quarterbacks, Vikings rookie quarterback Joel Stave entered half way through the third quarter. He led a 10-play 74-yard touchdown-scoring drive. The final three plays of the drive were the best offensive sequence of the game for the Vikings. Stave hit Treadwell with a six-yard toss on 4th-and-3. Stave hit rookie tight end David Morgan on a 22-yard pass to the Bengals 10-yard line. Undrafted rookie running back C.J. Ham had a nice 10-yard run for the score. It was a nice sequence from four rookies.
Another rookie made a big play about a minute later. Cornerback Mackensie Alexander corralled his first NFL interception. He didn't get a single interception in his three years at Clemson. He got his first NFL interception in his first game.
Unfortunately, Stave gave it right back to the Bengals on the first play. He threw behind Isaac Fruechte and it ended up in the hands of Bengals safety Jimmy Wilson.
The final four minutes of the game was a perfect script on how not to close a game. The Vikings offense had the ball twice and took about a minute off the clock. The first punt was returned for a touchdown. An 80-yard return that never should have happened. About ten Vikings players had a shot at tackling Alex Erickson. All of them failed. Some miserably. It's the sort of return that causes heart attacks and lost jobs for special teams coaches. Mike Priefer's job isn't in jeopardy but he isn't happy right now. The effort/execution on the return was simply pathetic.
Fortunately for everyone involved, Marvin Lewis chose to go for the win rather than a tie. The attempt failed and the Vikings kept their lead of 17-16.
The Bengals final possession ended with a desperation fourth-down throw and an interception by rookie safety Jayron Kearse.
This was an entertaining game for a preseason game. The Vikings had some nice moments but they had more moments that weren't so nice. The offense started slow and didn't run the ball well. The defense gave up far too many yards but they didn't give up many points. It looked like a typical preseason game. A first preseason game.
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