The Vikings put out a masterclass performance sunday, with both offense and defense flying around and making plays. It seems that the Vikings have created a good foundation and scheme for this season. Building upon that is key.
What went well:
There was a lot that went well on Sunday. To start the offense looked poised and under control. The run game wasn’t amazing but it served its purpose as to set up the passing game. The Offensive line played well most of the time. Justin Jefferson absolutely dominated the Packers secondary, with him lining up all over the field the Vikings were able to create mis-matches and route trees that set up Jefferson for success. With the constant movement from the wideouts it exposed the Packers defense and propelled the Vikings to success.
The Defense performed to the best of its ability. With multiple sacks coming from different players. Aaron Rodgers tends to not get sacked but the Vikings D Line had their way with him. With the Packers having terrible receivers the secondary played very well. This could be a result of poor skill position players but regardless the Vikings Secondary Stepped up. Za’darius Smith was a huge factor in this game. He went from the outside rush to inside constantly, he was able to gain leverage underneath the linemen and use his power and speed to get to the QB. The defense came up in clutch moments stopping the Packers twice in the red zone on fourth down.
What went wrong:
I would love to see the run game get going even more. The stats look a little bolstered because Cook got lots of yards in garbage time. Next week against the Eagles the run game will be really important. The passing game was pretty much perfect. No complaints there however I Would like to see more deep shots. Besides the two bombs to jefferson not much went past 20 yards in the air. If they can stretch the field vertically even more it can open up the game.
On defense the run defense needs to tighten up a bit. The Packers averaged over 6 yards a carry which isn’t very good. The Vikings need more out of their interior line for them to do better.
How to build off the win:
The Eagles have a lethal offense with Hurts being able to run and throw it creates a whole new dynamic. If the defense can tighten down on the run it will help the guys behind them in the passing game. They can expect to limit the Eagles to 7 points like the packers so staying focused and determined even if they score will be a huge deal. This will be a big test for the defense.
On offense they can’t stop pushing the ball. Constant attack will help their chances in this game. The offense did a great job of not settling for field goals and punts. If they can continue to do this then nothing can stop them but themselves.
