It's never easy with this Minnesota Vikings team. The Vikings sweated out a final seconds, 54-yard field goal attempt to survive with a 28-27 win.
This was the Panthers game to win and the Vikings took it from them.
The Vikings hosted Carolina yesterday and for much of the game they catered to every need of the Panthers. During a ten second span at the start of the third quarter, the Vikings fumbled twice under the shadow of their own goal posts. Each fumble was returned for a touchdown by rookie safety, linebacker, rover, whatever Jeremy Chinn. Not only did the Vikings offense hand the Panthers defense 14 points in a blink of time, they may have handed the Defensive Rookie of the Year award to Chinn. Not only were 14 breezy points handed to the Panthers, the Vikings damn-near handed them the game when Chad Beebe dropped a fair catch of a punt inside the 20-yard line. The Panthers recovered at the nine-yard line with just over two minutes to play. It looked bleak. It looked like the Vikings were about to drop another winnable game and fall to 4-7. Playoff dreams gone poof. The way things have gone this season, especially at home, this game was over. The Vikings did all of the things in this game that they've done in most of their six losses. Too many mistakes. Too many blown chances. This game would be different. From the nine-yard line, with the game nearly in hand, the Panthers settled for a field goal. As significant, the Panthers took only 19 seconds off the clock. Down 27-21 with 1:51 to play, the Vikings had a chance. Kirk Cousins took over.
There are so damn many narratives out there that Kirk Cousins can't do this and can't do that. One of those narratives is that he can't play high level quarterback when the threat of the run is taken from him. Another narrative is that he can't lead his team on a game-winning drive with little time to play. This game was one of those games and one of those situations. Seven points to win and 1:51 to win it. Here's what he did.
15 yards to Justin Jefferson
6 yards to Chad Beebe
7 yards to Kyle Rudolph
12 yards to Chad Beebe
25 yards to Kyle Rudolph
Incomplete
10 yards to Chad Beebe-Touchdown
It was almost too easy. Cousins faced two second downs and no third downs. He steamed the team down the field without a hint of a running game. Or even a back in the backfield. It can be argued that the Vikings scored too fast. There was still 46 seconds on the clock. It was enough time for Teddy Bridgewater to get the Panthers in position for a legitimate chance at a game-winning field goal. 54 yards is well within the reach of Joey Slye's leg. Fortunately, the kick never had a chance.
It's never easy with this Minnesota Vikings team.
The game wouldn't have been this close if miscues hadn't handed the Panthers easy access to 17 points. 14 of those points came only ten seconds apart. It felt like a flashback to the Seahawks game. If anything came out of that game and this game it's that this Vikings team is resilient. Or can be resilient. It's tough for any team to overcome giving an opponent easy scores. The Vikings came back on the Seahawks but let it slip away at the end. They came back on the Panthers and didn't let it slip away.
The Vikings offense entered the game without receiver Adam Thielen and tight end Irv Smith Jr. That's a significant hit to the passing attack and Smith's blocking is a significant part of the running game. So, Cousins responded by spreading the ball to more of his receivers. Four had seven catches for more than 60 yards.
Pass Catcher Receptions Yards TDs
Olabisi Johnson 7 74
Justin Jefferson 7 70 2
Kyle Rudolph 7 68
Chad Beebe 7 63 1
In just over a minute of game time, Beebe went from goat to hero. It probably felt more like an hour to him.
The Vikings defense continues to be a scrappy group. Eric Kendricks stopped a scoring opportunity with a red zone interception. It's the third time he's done that this season. He's the best middle linebacker in the league. The defense wasn't on the field for 14 of the Panthers 27 points and they weren't responsible for the final three points. They allowed a single, sustained touchdown drive. The Vikings defense is a scrappy group that gives some in the middle of the field but is quite stingy near the end zone. It's an improving group but they have to get better in a hurry. Every game is a playoff game through the end of their season.
It's never easy with this Minnesota Vikings team.
The Vikings host the Jacksonville Jaguars next week. It's a must-win game. As are the following four games.
Finally, Jonathan Vilma is horrible in the broadcast booth. He was on the call for the Vikings-Cowboys game last week. When I saw that he also had the Panthers game, I feared that he, Kenny Albert and Shannon Spake were in a Minneapolis bubble during the Vikings' three-game home stand. Fortunately, the Jaguars game is a CBS game. Vilma seems to talk for the sake of talking and what he says doesn't add much. Sometimes less is more. With Vilma, much less would be much better.
