Vikings - Colts

After a two-game slide, the Minnesota Vikings got back to their winning ways on Sunday night. They defeated the Indianapolis Colts 21-13. Despite often making it hard on themselves, the Vikings mostly dominated the game. The Colts never took an offensive snap in the red zone. The Vikings often did. The way this game played, it could’ve been anywhere from a Vikings blowout to a narrow Colts victory. Fortunately, the Vikings did enough things right to win the game. 

With a quick glance at the stats, one would think that Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold had a sparkling game.

28/34

290 yards

3 TDs

A deeper dig into his play reveals concerns.

2 interceptions

1 fumble 

4 sacks

The two interceptions were horrible decisions. At the end of a strong, long initial drive, Darnold forced the ball to tight end T.J. Hockenson in the end zone. Zaire Franklin made the easy interception. Hockenson was so well covered that it’s difficult to imagine what Darnold was thinking. The second interception was equally puzzling. The Vikings had started to roll in the second half. They’d scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the half and led 14-7. Byron Murphy Jr. had just intercepted Joe Flacco. The Vikings were about to take full control of the game. Instead, Darnold ignored, or just didn’t see, a wide open Jordan Addison and forced the ball into a well-covered Justin Jefferson. Nick Cross intercepted. I get the need to look Jefferson’s way. He’s an easy player to target even if he’s well covered. That pass has to go somewhere else. In this case, it has to go to Addison. It probably would’ve been a big play touchdown. Then there was the fumble. Colts corner Kenny Moore II scooped up the fumble and returned it for his team’s only touchdown of the game. Great. The real problem with this play isn’t actually that it happened. The problem is how it happened. It appears that the league’s officials have a serious problem observing what happens in a pocket that includes Sam Darnold. Against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8 there was the facemask grab that everyone but the officials saw. Against the Colts, defensive tackle Grover Stewart struck Darnold’s facemask. The fumble followed the blow. A flag was actually thrown on the play but was picked up with no explanation. In consecutive games, missed calls sealed a loss to the Rams and gifted a touchdown to the Colts. The officials miss calls in every game. It’s a difficult job but it’s beyond ridiculous that essentially the same missed call had a significant impact in consecutive games. Since the quarterback is strenuously protected, many officiating eyes are on the pocket. It’s so easy to see a sustained tug of a quarterback’s facemask. It’s so easy to see a significant blow to a quarterback’s facemask. I guess, without my knowing, the league has deemed Sam Darnold’s facemask a legal target area. 

While there was some disappointing plays and some questionable decisions, this was a win. It was a win the Vikings needed. There was also a lot of good things in this game. The defense returned to the dominance they showed in the first five games. It’s not like they flailed about in the past two games against the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams. Those potent offenses did gash the Vikings defense on a few occasions. The Colts offense isn’t on the same level as those teams but they have some playmakers. Jonathan Taylor is one of the best backs in the league. Michael Pittman, Josh Downs, and Alec Pierce are impactful pass-catchers. Even at 39, Joe Flacco has shown repeatedly that he can get defenses on their heels. The Vikings defense never let the Colts offense get comfortable. Every gain was contested. Every threat was ended. The closest the Colts offense ventured toward the Vikings end zone was the 23-yard line. The Colts offense scored only two field goals. The last was in desperation-mode to make it a one-score game. The Vikings defense held the Colts offense to 227 yards (159 passing, 68 rushing). The Colts gained only 13 first downs. If there was a disappointing/frustrating side to the Vikings defense it was the lack of sacks. The Vikings didn’t collect any of their three sacks until the Colts final possession. That doesn’t mean that Flacco had all day to throw every time he dropped back. There was, however, one nauseating instance of that. The pass rushers just never closed that final step and got to him until that final drive. At least they got there when they most needed to get there. This was a strong defensive effort. Moving forward, the defense should be even better with the expected return of linebacker Blake Cashman. 

Two terrible interceptions and a fumble (allowed by a missed call) aren’t good things for an offense that’s treading in new territory. T.J. Hockenson made his first appearance of the season after returning from last year’s knee injury. Acquired just days ago, Cam Robinson replaced Christian Darrisaw (lost for the season against Rams with a knee injury) at left tackle. Those are significant changes. Darnold has never thrown to Hockenson in a game. Robinson has never played with any of his new teammates. It could take a while for this offense to get comfortable. Other than the turnovers, the offense moved the ball. In the second half, they scored three touchdowns. They had no three-and-outs. They did have a one-and-out when Darnold missed a wide-open Addison and threw an interception on the first play of a possession. The Vikings gained 415 yards (282 passing, 133 rushing). If not for the scattered miscues, this game is a one-sided affair. 

Perhaps it’s a purple-lensed view but this was a promising win. Just clean up what feel like singular mistakes. This Colts game was the start of a three-game tour against the AFC South. The Vikings travel to Jacksonville for a date with the Jaguars. A trip to Tennessee follows. At 6-2, there’s a strong chance the Vikings could be 8-2 at Thanksgiving. That’s a good place to be. They won’t be there if they don’t clean up some things.