Last week, the Vikings lost starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy for a few weeks with a sprained ankle. The Bengals also lost their starting quarterback last week. Joe Burrow is possibly done for the season after undergoing surgery on his injured toe. For this game, Carson Wentz replaced McCarthy and Jake Browning replaced Burrow. An efficient Wentz, Jordan Mason’s running, and a dominant and very greedy defense made for this breezy win.
Injuries have played a big part in the Vikings struggles in the first two weeks. Players were limping off the field at such a rate that there was often a line for the blue medical tent. That’s why it was such a relief to see some of the injured return for this game. In particular, it was great to see Christian Darrisaw and Harrison Smith on the field for the first time this season. In the first two games, J.J. McCarthy was often forced to deal with immediate pressure racing past and through the left tackle. Against the Bengals, Darrisaw shut that down from the first snap. With his surgically repaired knee in mind, the Vikings had him on something of a snap count. Of the team’s 58 offensive snaps, he was on the field for 38. Even against Bengals star pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, Darrisaw kept Wentz safe. Hendrickson couldn’t touch Wentz. The Vikings overhauled the interior of the offensive line in the offseason. The rebuilt line was supposed to be a team strength. Unfortunately, the five projected starters have yet to play a game together. Darrisaw returned yesterday but center Ryan Kelly missed the game due to a concussion from last week’s game. Hopefully, Week 4 is the debut of the Vikings new offensive line.
Harrison Smith’s return to the field also brought great things as he had a hand in the play that helped turn this game into the rout it became. With the Vikings up 7-0 in the first quarter, the Bengals were driving for a potentially tying score. Smith got a finger on Jake Browning’s pass to Chase Brown. The deflected pass was intercepted by Isaiah Rodgers and returned 87 yards for a game-flipping touchdown.
The game Isaiah Rodgers had was ridiculous. One defensive touchdown is a huge deal. He was just getting started. Down 17-3 with just under two minutes to play in the first half, the Bengals were driving and hoping to draw within a single score. Rodgers put an end to those thoughts when he punched the ball from Noah Fant’s grasp, collected the loose ball, and returned it 66 yards for a back-breaking touchdown. Two defensive touchdowns! Rodgers still wasn’t done. The next time the Bengals had the ball, he punched the ball from Ja’Marr Chase’s grasp and Jeff Okudah recovered. For the half, Isaiah Rodgers had a pick-six, a scoop-and-score, and forced two fumbles. That had never been done in a game in league history and he did it in a half. In coverage, mostly against Tee Higgins, Rodgers allowed a single reception for two yards. His game left many of his secondary mates near speechless. It’s probably the best corner performance and one of the best defensive performances I’ve ever seen.
The Vikings defense was dominant:
10 points allowed
171 yards allowed
118 pass yards allowed
53 rush yards allowed
2 defensive scores
5 turnovers
4 sacks
The Vikings offense was efficient:
34 points
173 yards passing
169 yards rushing
The Vikings got a punishing rushing performance from Jordan Mason. The Vikings acquired him from the San Francisco 49er in the offseason with this sort of game in mind.
16 carries
116 yards
2 TDs
Jordan Mason was a bull and it was glorious. This game was a rout because of the defense and Mason’s running. And Carson Wentz’s efficient and steady play.
The Vikings needed a game like this. It’s been 27 years since such a one-sided score. After so many heart-challenging, one-score games in recent years, it was nice to have such a breezy game. The Vikings are now 2-1 and will travel overseas for their next two games. It’s the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin on Sunday. It’s the Cleveland Browns in London in two weeks.
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