Game of adjustments: How the Vikings put the Dallas game behind them to beat New England

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Vikings’ win in Buffalo could have been their most dramatic and unbelievable however Thursday evening’s victory in opposition to the New England Patriots was probably the most essential.

The Vikings have been crushed at dwelling 40-3 simply 4 days earlier than taking the sector on Thanksgiving evening on the nationwide stage. With the world watching they put up 33 factors and made sufficient necessary stops on protection to attain yet another time than the Patriots.

How have been they in a position to bounce again rapidly and defeat Invoice Belichick’s group? Let’s take a look…

Go safety plan and Kirk Cousins

In opposition to the Cowboys all the pieces fell aside when the Vikings failed to guard quarterback Kirk Cousins. Within the brutal dwelling loss final Sunday, he was pressured on 60% of drop-backs and sacked seven occasions. Head coach Kevin O’Connell got here into Thursday’s recreation with schematic adjustments that allowed Cousins to get the ball out faster and have time to throw once they wanted to push the ball downfield, even with out star left deal with Christian Darrisaw.

“We had an actual plan, sort of realizing the place we might be at,” O’Connell stated. “We wished to attempt to run the soccer. It is a powerful group to run it in opposition to, not plenty of common per carry tonight. However we have been in a position to churn out runs to then permit us to activate some play passes. We used plenty of totally different strategies on the sides to attempt to condense that rush, attempt to let Kirk (Cousins) have some clear pockets.”

Cousins hit on plenty of brief throws, averaging solely 5.7 air yards per try, which is decrease than each QB within the NFL’s season common.

That doesn’t imply Cousins didn’t choose the proper spots to go downfield. He went 7-for-8 on passes that traveled greater than 10 yards.

“Kirk Cousins was phenomenal tonight getting us out and in of the performs he did, standing again there and making some big-time throws,” O’Connell stated. “I am unable to say sufficient in regards to the safety as properly, these guys doing their jobs. It was not straightforward. It is by no means going to be straightforward in opposition to that defensive construction, group or teaching employees. So I give our guys a ton of credit score for making performs and simply persistently discovering methods to drive the soccer.”

Following the sport, Cousins was crucial of his personal play, saying, “I’d like to put the sport away earlier,” and, “I am not taking part in any higher. If something, I am coming to those press conferences attempting to smile, having to work to smile, as a result of I am pondering to myself, ‘Man, I’ve acquired to play higher.’”

However by ESPN’s QBR metrics, which grades particular person recreation performances on a 1-100 scale, Thursday’s recreation was his better of the season (84.8). It’s laborious to argue along with his conventional field rating as properly (30-for-37, 299 yards, three touchdowns, one interception and one sack).

One other stat that was telling in regards to the safety and QB efficiency was third downs. The Vikings went 8-for-15 in opposition to a group that led the NFL in QB hurries getting into Thursday evening.

“When Justin is getting doubled, there’s some issues happening, you need to convert some third downs…in opposition to a group like that, that is going to come back in attempting to remove your greatest participant,” O’Connell stated. “I knew that they’d attempt to take 18 out of the sport, particularly in these situational downs. We labored actually laborious and sort of ready him for that, some distinctive issues that we tried. However finally Kirk making that entire factor come to life, the safety holding up, permitting some issues to develop, these crucial third downs have been key I assumed to permitting us to get new units of downs and generate some explosives after we might.”

Justin Jefferson

As has been the case since Justin Jefferson arrived, he was prepared for the second. He caught 9 passes on 11 targets for 139 yards and a landing, regardless of the Patriots doing all the pieces they might to gradual him down.

“I adore it,” Jefferson stated. “These are the kind of video games that I really like probably the most. Thursday nights. Primetime. The entire world is watching you. No higher time to go off.”

Jefferson’s greatest catch of the day got here after the Patriots dedicated a roughing name on punter Ryan Wright. He made them pay with a 37-yard catch that arrange the game-winning landing.

“He is one among completely probably the most particular gamers I’ve ever been round as a participant or coach,” O’Connell stated. “He tends to indicate up and be able to go each time we placed on the uniform and go on the market. He was double-teamed lots tonight. Had some success in opposition to a few of these double-team appears to be like when he acquired single protection. Kirk discovered him a number of occasions. Bought a terrific double transfer there to arrange Adam’s go-ahead landing. He is a particular participant, means an entire heck of lots to our offense, to our group. It was an enormous evening for Justin. Fairly frankly, I am simply so happy with the way in which he battles and the grit and the dedication and the preparation that he is put into this.”

Jefferson set the document for many receiving yards by a receiver in his first three seasons — and there’s nonetheless six video games to go.

A cussed play name

O’Connell will usually consult with sure conditions as “gotta have it.” Early within the fourth quarter with a chance to take the lead, the Vikings actually needed to have a landing after they have been gifted a second likelihood at a drive that had appeared to stall out. Following Jefferson’s large catch, they’d first-and-10 on the 15-yard line and O’Connell dialed up a play name that he had been attempting to get all evening.

“We referred to as that play like a number of occasions, we simply did not get the look we wished, so I simply saved checking to one thing else,” Cousins stated. “He referred to as it once more and we acquired the look. He even stated to me within the headset, as a result of we acquired the road earlier than the headset reduce out, I knew we acquired the look, however he says it, “You bought the look.” I ought to have gotten him sooner. I used to be attempting to verify they honestly went with Justin, and so they did, so Adam acquired by way of there. Only a phenomenal catch by him.”

The play was designed to reap the benefits of the Patriots paying further consideration to Jefferson within the pink zone.

“Our entire group was prepared,” O’Connell stated. “A clear pocket. I feel Kirk had three or 4 hitches proper there. Regardless that it is a play move, you continue to have to dam the person over you, you need to block on the sides. I assumed that was one of many cleanest pockets all evening, when he is in a position to set his ft frontside to Justin, having Adam screaming throughout the again. We figured we’d have a kind of guys. Kirk made a terrific determination. What an unbelievable throw in that second to place the additional rpms to beat that undercutting defender.”

Particular groups

Through the Vikings’ 9-2 begin, they’ve usually relied on their particular groups unit to step up in large moments, whether or not it’s successfully overlaying a punt, inflicting a turnover and even throwing a move. The one factor they have been but to do is repeat 2021’s success with kick returns. Kene Nwangwu had two touchdowns final season and the Vikings felt like they have been near him hitting an enormous one in some unspecified time in the future. Effectively, it couldn’t have come at a extra perfect time than on Thursday evening.

The Patriots had simply “double dipped,” scoring on the finish of the primary half and to open the second half, flipping the rating from 16-13 Vikings to 23-16 in favor of New England. However Nwangwu immediately evened the scoreboard along with his 97-yard return for landing.

“All 12 months lengthy I hit him (Kene) at pregame meals, Is immediately the day? Is immediately the day?” O’Connell stated. “He is simply so proficient, such a particular athlete…. Our particular groups models have had game-defining performs for us all season lengthy. I simply thought in that second for Kene, even when it appeared like perhaps they have been closing in on him there, he is simply so explosive, to get that factor going. Then to complete that in a second the place it was an enormous play for our group.”

That wasn’t the one key particular groups play. On the Vikings’ remaining offensive possession, they went three-and-out and gave the Patriots an opportunity to tie the sport. From their very own 40, Ryan Wright uncorked a 59-yard punt, which was solely returned to the New England 11-yard line, placing the Patriots in place to journey almost all the subject with no timeouts. All three of Wright’s punts have been contained in the New England 20-yard line.

Large defensive stops

It wasn’t precisely an evening to recollect for the Vikings’ protection, which allowed 382 yards passing to Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and gave up passes of 40, 40, 37 and 34 yards.

They did, nevertheless, give you stops within the fourth quarter that have been completely wanted in an effort to win the sport. That’s been the M.O. of the group all 12 months.

After giving up a landing to start out the second half, the Patriots’ offensive possessions after that resulted in a subject purpose, punt, punt, turnover on downs and the top of the sport.

“I assumed Ed (Donatell) had some real-timely pressures that he referred to as,” O’Connell stated. “It appeared like he activated some sort of mugged-up appears to be like, despatched some strain. Each occasions I feel have been profitable both getting [Jones] off the spot or doubtlessly getting the sack.”

The Vikings have been additionally in a position to decelerate New England’s run recreation to simply 45 yards.

Penalties and a assessment

It wouldn’t be a key recreation and not using a recreation of, “What’s a catch?”

The Patriots believed they’d a Hunter Henry landing on third-and-goal however the referees determined that he didn’t have possession of the ball.

Head ref Walt Anderson defined to a Patriots pool reporter:

“He was going to the bottom, the ball ended up touching the bottom after which he misplaced management of the ball in his palms,” Anderson stated.

“He has to take care of management of the ball upon contacting the bottom,” he continued. “The time period that’s generally used is ‘surviving the bottom’ – lots of people consult with that. So, as he’s going to the bottom, he has the weather of two ft and management, however as a result of he’s going to the bottom, he has to take care of management of the ball when he does go to the bottom.”

Whereas the play didn’t finally resolve the sport, it did put the Vikings in place to tie the sport with a subject purpose on the subsequent possession somewhat than having to chase a seven-point deficit.

The Patriots weren’t simply on the fallacious facet of the refs on the assessment, additionally they two facemasks and a private foul infraction as properly.

Workforce mentality

Adam Thielen stated after the sport that many gamers confirmed up earlier to the stadium than regular as a result of they have been itching to get again on the sector in downtown Minneapolis and show that the 40-3 loss wasn’t who they are surely as a group.

“4 days after being right here with a fairly dejected feeling and asking our group to reply and our coaches to reply and present up tonight on a mission to try to play a very good soccer group and attempt to get a win,” O’Connell stated. “I couldn’t be extra happy with my soccer group and our employees and all that goes into it as a company.”

Earlier within the week, Cousins talked about being impressed by O’Connell’s dealing with of their Week 2 loss in Philadelphia. After the sport he praised the top coach and teammates’ help of him this 12 months.

“Kevin has empowered me a lot; this group has empowered me a lot,” Cousins stated. “The blokes have simply been super. I am unable to say sufficient about the way in which that they’ve had my again after these interceptions, help me all week lengthy, help me pregame within the locker room…At occasions it nearly brings me to tears the way in which these guys help me and have my again. It actually provides to the enjoyable of taking part in and dealing collectively.”

Implications

Due to their victory over New England, the Vikings stay inside putting distance of the Eagles, who’re 9-1 and personal a tiebreaker for the No. 1 total seed. With Detroit’s loss, they sit 5 video games up on Detroit and Inexperienced Bay, that means the Vikings might lock up the division in two weeks with wins or sooner with Detroit and Inexperienced Bay losses.

There are deeper total takeaways than simply the standings although. The Vikings hadn’t confronted many main checks alongside the way in which, save for tough journey to London and a troublesome matchup in Buffalo. Coming off a significant loss and rebounding to beat the best coach of a technology additional builds the arrogance of a group that has more and more believed in itself because the season goes alongside. Now they will additionally consider of their coach to make wanted changes briefly order.