Week 5 Thoughts

The Minnesota Vikings continued their terrific start to the 2016 NFL season with a 31-13 win over the visiting Houston Texans. The Vikings are now 5-0 as they head into their Week 6 bye.

Despite coming into the game with four wins the Vikings offense and defense have had a troubling trend of starting games slow. That wasn't the case yesterday. The offense scored touchdowns on their first two possessions and a field goal on their fourth. A 79-yard punt return touchdown by Marcus Sherels gave the Vikings a 24-0 lead with about nine minutes to play in the second quarter. The defense started nearly as well. The Vikings forced three-and-out punts on three of the Texans first four possessions. That fourth possession was a three-and-out missed field goal. The Texans first 1st down came with about eight minutes to play in the second quarter. It came on a Vikings penalty. Actually the Texans first three 1st downs came on Vikings penalties.

The Texans defense is without all-everything defensive lineman J.J. Watt for the remainder of the season. They still boast one of the better defenses in the league. The Vikings jumped all over them early but the Texans defense started gaining some traction. They allowed a single touchdown over the final 2.5 quarters. Unfortunately, they had already given up 24 points. The Vikings offense might have been cruising a bit after gaining that early four-score lead. They probably shouldn't make a habit of that.

The Vikings defense was dominant throughout the game. They gave up only two field goals until a late "garbage" 1-yard touchdown toss to DeAndre Hopkins.

Some Vikings defensive numbers:
13 points
1 interception
4 sacks
59 yards rushing
155 yards passing
214 total yards
1/13 on third down conversions

The Vikings defense have had an excellent start to the season. It wasn't splashy but this might have been their best performance from start to finish.

Despite the apparent slow-down after the big early lead, this was probably the most complete game for the Vikings offense as well.

Some Vikings offensive numbers:
31 points
no turnovers
96 yards rushing
255 yards passing
351 total yards
7/14 on third down conversions
37:28 time of possession

This game was the best marriage of offense and defense for the Vikings.

One Vikings negative would be the penalties. 9 for 97 yards. At least three of the penalties gave the Texans first downs. A few ended Vikings offensive possessions just when they were about to get started. Head coach Mike Zimmer can't be happy about this. Despite the win. Most games won't have this sort of point margin.

Quarterback Sam Bradford joined the Vikings just over a month ago. He's looks more comfortable with each game that he plays. He completed 22 of 30 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns against the Texans. At times it looked easy. He's just been so consistent. He's made plays and just as importantly he's made no mistakes.

He nearly made his first mistake of the season yesterday. Texans linebacker John Simon tipped a Bradford attempt and nearly corralled it for an interception. There was no purple jersey between him and the end zone. Bradford and the Vikings got lucky there. A Texans touchdown at that poin and we might have a different game. When a team is playing well breaks like this tend to go their way. The ball bounces their way.

Speaking of mistakes. One of the most significant statistics responsible for the Vikings fine 5-0 start is the complete lack of turnovers. The offense has not handed the ball to the opposing defense. No fumbles. No interceptions. That's a spectacular statistic. It's magnified even more by the defense's ability to take the ball away from their foes. 12 takeaways through five games.

Vikings leading receiver Stefon Diggs was inactive for the game. He'd been nursing a groin inury for the past two weeks. Diggs was down. Adam Thielen stepped up. 7 catches for 127 yards and a touchdown. His 36-yard touchdown catch to complete the successful opening drive set the tone for the offense and the game. It just felt like the Vikings never looked back after that. Thielen has come a long way in his four years with the Vikings. He was undrafted out of Mankato State. He was so undrafted that he had to tryout for an invite to training camp in 2013. He became a special teams standout in 2014 and continued as such in 2015. Now he's a major contributor on offense.

Cordarrelle Patterson, Jarius Wright, Kyle Rudolph, and Matt Asiata also stepped up in the passing game. Bradford gets the ball to anyone that gets open.

Some more Vikings numbers:
The defense has allowed an average of 12.6 points/game.
They are especially stingy in the second half of those games: 5.4 points/game.

The Vikings are riding an 8-game regular season win streak. Best in the league.

The Vikings keep winning despite being hit by a string of injuries. The NFL-centric world knows all about the injuries to Teddy Bridgewater and Adrian Peterson. They probably know about left tackle Matt Kalil being out for the year. That's just the beginning. Defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd has missed the last four games. Cornerback Xavier Rhodes missed the first two games. Injuries have dismantled the offensive line and has really challenged the Vikings depth at the position. Of the five offensive lineman that started in Week 1, only two were still on the field at the end of the Texans game. Left guard Alex Boone and center Joe Berger. Matt Kalil is on injured reserve. Right tackle Andre Smith was hurt last week and replaced by Jeremiah Sirles. Brandon Fusco left the Texans game in the first quarter with a concussion. The bye week is coming a great time.

The Vikings roster is filled with limping tight ends. Rhett Ellison and David Morgan were inactive yesterday. Kyle Rudolph missed some practice time last week with rib and clavicle injuries. Fortunately he was able to play. MyCole Pruitt was the only completely healthy tight end and he left the Texans game with a knee injury. The bye week is coming at a great time.

Vikings are 5-0 heading into that much-needed bye. The only undefeated team in the league.

Some other games.

Welcome back Tom Brady. You've been missed.

Brady shredded the under-manned Cleveland Browns 33-13. 28/40 for 406 yards and three touchdowns. Nice return.

The Browns can't catch a break. They lost their starting quarterback in each of their first two games and were forced to hand the ball to rookie Cody Kessler in Week 3. He was doing a fine job but was injured against the Patriots. Charlie Whitehurst replaced Kessler.

The New York Jets were feisty early against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 14-13 Steelers at the half. Then it was too much Ben Roethlisberger. The lumbering quarterback was 34/47 for 380 yards and four touchdowns.

The Steelers might have found a nice receiving compliment to Antonio Brown in Sammie Coates. The second-year receiver opened the game with a 72-yard touchdown and added a 5-yarder later. He had six catches for 139 yards and the two touchdowns. If Coates can cut down on the drops the Steelers might have another receiving star.

Detroit Lions corner Darius Slay intercepted the first pass in rookie quarterback Carson Wentz's NFL career. That interception also handed the Philadelphia Eagles their first loss of the season.

It might actually be a blessing for Wentz to get that first interception out of the way.

Andrew Luck and Brian Hoyer had the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears in a scorcher. 29-23 Colts. The was a bit of a back and forth affair with each team thinking that they the momentum. The Colts had it when it mattered most.

The Tennessee Titans finally got their offense on the proper track against the Miami Dolphins. Marcus Mariota's 163 passing yards isn't eye-popping but his 60 yards rushing, three TD passes, and TD run are. The Titans have a bunch of playmakers. It just feels like they have to decide what sort of offense they want to be.

In a scheduling quirk thanks to stadium work this was the Dolphins first home game. Playing at home didn't help the Dolphins much.

The defense and an 85-yard Jamison Crowder punt return were the main reason for the Washington Redskins 16-10 win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Redskins defense had been shaky in their first four games. If the offense and defense can show up together they could string some wins together.

The Ravens had a shot at a game-winning touchdown at the end of the game. They ran out of downs on the Redskins 21-yard line.

The Dallas Cowboys jumped all over the Cincinnati Bengals. 28-0 after three quarters. The Bengals scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to make the final score a little more respectable. 28-14.

Cowboys rookie running back Ezekiel Elliott made the most of his 15 carries. 134 yards and two touchdowns. One of those touchdowns was a nice 60-yard stroll up the middle. Fellow rookie Dak Prescott continued his efficient quarterback play. 18/24 for 227 yards and a touchdown. Prescott has yet to throw his first NFL interception.

The Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams were in a tight fight for nearly all of their game. It turned in the Bills favor in the third quarter with the game tied at 16. The appropriately named Nickell Robey-Coleman intercepted Rams quarterback Case Keenun and easily returned it 41 yards for a touchdown, And a 23-16 lead. The Rams were playing catch-up the rest of the way and they couldn't catch up. 30-19 Bills. A couple of questionable fourth down decisions by head coach Jeff Fisher didn't help the Rams.

The San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders played in what was probably the best game of the day. 3-0 Raiders after the first quarter. 10-9 Chargers at the half. 27-24 Raiders after three quarters. 34-31 Raiders when the Chargers ran out of time.

The Chargers have found new ways to lose four games in the closing moments. They had a shot to tie this game at 34 with about two minutes to play. The snap for the field goal that was supposed to tie the game was wide and the Chargers had a new way to lose another game.

None of the Chargers woes should take anything away from a talented Raiders team that seems to be hitting their stride. This is an exciting team that will play in a lot of exciting games. Their offense can score loads of touchdowns. Their defense gives loads of touchdowns. That's a combination that promotes exciting games.

The Denver Broncos entered their game with the Atlanta Falcons as the only undefeated team in the AFC. Now there are no undefeated teams in the AFC. The Falcons got the best of the Broncos. 23-16. A late Broncos rally (13 points in the fourth quarter) fell short.

Broncos rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch started the game in place of injured Trevor Siemian. Lynch may be the quarterback of the future in Denver but he looked like a rookie yesterday.

Since their rough Week 1 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the Falcons have been flying high. Matt Ryan has been great. Perhaps the league's MVP through the first quarter of the season. Julio Jones is a mismatch on every play. The running and receiving combo of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman is dynamic and often devastating.

Falcons pass rusher Vic Beasley had 3.5 sacks, That's a nice development for a team that really needs a pass rushing presence.

The Green Bay Packers managed to outgain the New York Giants by about 200 yards. The score was a little closer. 23-16 for the Packers.

The Packers opened the game with a 16-play, 75-yard touchdown scoring drive that took up 8:42.

The game might not have been as close as it was if not for a couple of first half interception by Giants corner Janoris Jenkins.

Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. finally caught his first touchdown of the season. A 6-yarder with just under three minutes to play in the game.

The Carolina Panthers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tonight to close Week 5.