Robert Mays over at The Ringer had kind words to say about the Minnesota Vikings after their 17-14 win over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday night.
“Minnesota’s map to a repeat NFC North title was always going to start with its defense,” he wrote, “and for the second consecutive week it looked like not only the best unit in its division, but also in the entire NFC.”
He noted that the Packers offense managed just 263 yards, 4.1 per play, and that Green Bay recovered two of Aaron Rodgers’ three fumbles, and that 38-year-old Terence Newman dropped a would-be interception at the goal line.
The Vikings were also penalized 13 times for 137 yards.
“The other part of Minnesota’s 2016 equation included the quarterback (whoever he happened to be) turning around and handing the ball to Adrian Peterson a lot,” he continued. “But that part of the plan was falling flat. On his first seven carries against the Packers, Peterson managed 0.9 yards per rush — even lower than the 1.6 figure he posted in a Week 1 win against the Titans.”
Peterson, of course, left the field with a right knee injury, but Mays was bullish on the play of Bradford.
“If Minnesota were to be without Peterson for an extended period, its hopes would start with this: For the past two weeks, the team has survived without him playing anything like the Adrian Peterson of old,” he wrote. “Bradford was better in his debut that anyone could have imagined. His accuracy was remarkable, and even his line — 22-of-31 for 286 yards with two touchdowns — doesn’t do justice to his performance on two weeks’ notice.”
Mays’ piece is a strong, in-depth breakdown of the Vikings’ performance on Sunday by a national guy who made his name at Grantland before it was shut down and is worth a read.
[The Ringer]
