The Good
The offense found some rhythm.
This was due mostly to improved offensive line play. Left tackle Riley Reiff and left guard Alex Boone didn't play due to injuries. Reiff, after missing pretty much all of training camp, returned to practice this week but was kept out of the game as a precaution. Boone was out this past week with a knee injury. Rashod Hill continued in place of Reiff. Nick Easton filled in for Boone. Rookie Pat Elflein got the start at center, Joe Berger at right guard, and Mike Remmers at right tackle. Last week, fans and talking heads were all over Remmers for allowing a breezy sack of Bradford. He didn't attract a lot of attention this week. That's a good thing for an offensive lineman. The line also got rookie running back Davlin Cook loose for his best runs of the preseason.
Dalvin Cook, RB
Cook had 7 carries for 40 yards. He also added another 10 yards on a reception. He had a three-play sequence in which he carried the ball for gains of 15, 9, and 9 yards. Each of which it looked he was close to taking a good deal longer. He's going to be a fun, versatile back.
Sefon Diggs, WR
Diggs had 4 catchers for 65 yards with a long of 39. He has the hands, route-running, and quickness to be a star. He just has to stay healthy. Injuries are the only thing that's slowed him in his two years in the league.
Pat Elflein, C
It's been assumed that the rookie would eventually make the center position his. I'd put his name in ink now. His man is repeatedly moving backward.
Danielle Hunter, DE
Hunter sacked Russell Wilson once but pressured him on several occasions. Seahawks right tackle Germain Ifedi really had no chance against him.
Tashawn Bowser, DE
Bowser continued his strong Preseason showing with another sack and a pressure that led to a teammate getting a sack. His play is going to force some really tough decisions come roster-trimming time.
Eric Kendricks, LB
Kendricks simply makes plays. He did so again last night.
Jaleel Johnson, DT
Johnson was a load for the Seahawks offensive line in the second half. Five tackles and two for loss.
Bucky Hodges, TE
Vikings fans finally got to see the receiving potential of rookie tight end Bucky Hodges. He had the final two offensive plays of the night. A 33-yard reception to the Seahawks 21-yard line and a 21-yard touchdown reception. Granted it was against the Seahawks backups but on both plays he was too big, too fast, and too much to handle.
The Bad
Penalties in the red zone.
Penalties in the red zone have been a problem for too long. Those penalties have turned too many terrific touchdown opportunities into field goal attempts. It's cost the Vikings some wins. Last night they followed a terrific Bradford-to-Diggs 39-yard reception to the 12-yard with two pre-snap procedure penalties. 1st-and-ten at the 12 was soon 3rd-and-20 from the 22. They have to stop killing prime touchdown-scoring opportunities.
Kick Returns.
It's a damn shame that Cordarrelle Patterson is in Oakland now. Poor returns and a fumble are a tough way to start and not start an offensive possession. Rookie receivers Rodney Adams and Stacy Coley are getting most of the opportunities. Maybe just the experience will help. Break one and all of a sudden everything's rosy.
Mackensie Alexander, CB
Alexander struggled mightily a few times. He's the Vikings new nickel corner. He has the natural talent, confidence, and feistiness for the job but last night was rough. Hopefully it's the sort of game that all confident corners need to understand how tough the position really is to play.
Taylor Heinicke, QB
The final two throws to Bucky Hodges kinda made up for a shaky performance. Hopefully those two throws will give him confidence and kick-start his game. Case Keenum has likely sewn up the backup quarterback job but if Heinicke can build off those final throws maybe he can reopen the competition.
More on the offensive line. This may be a real knee-jerk reaction but I'm starting to think that the starting offensive line might be better with someone other than Alex Boone at left guard. While the entire line struggled last year Boone dodged a lot of the finger-pointing with some stellar average play. Perhaps it's just the euphoria over seeing an interior line of Easton-Elflein-Berger have some success against a good, aggressive front like the Seahawks but I'm thinking that maybe Boone's best days might be behind him. Then again, maybe Elflein at center is the key. Maybe Boone will be super with Riley Reiff and Elflein on either side of him. The Vikings really need to get their starting offensive line set and we'll see what happens from there.
One other thing. This is the second consecutive year that the Vikings and Seahawks have met in the preseason. It's also the second consecutive year that the NFL Network broadcast of the game gave the viewers the Seahawks announcing team of Curt Menefee and Brock Huard. If there's a more biased announcing team I've never heard them. It might as well have been a Seahawks scrimmage. One example, multiple Vikings defensive players sniffed out and blew up a Seahawks reverse. It was a terrific defensive play. One of the best of the game. No replay and barely a word. I suppose that the good thing is that I now know the Seahawks entire 90-man roster much better. If a fan of neither team was watching this game, and there were probably many seeing as it was a national broadcast, that person would've come away from this game feeling as if they had watched a single team. It was a tough listen. Menefee and Huard should listen to the Buffalo Bills announcing team. They often acknowledged that the their Bills team was playing the Vikings last week.
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The Vikings host the San Francisco 49ers in Preseason Game #3 on Sunday August 27.
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