The Minnesota Vikings are about to enter the unknown this weekend. Yes, they know they’ll be playing in Miami, but it will be at a stadium that has constantly changed names since it opened in 1987. They will likely be facing Skylar Thompson, the Miami Dolphins’ third-string quarterback. Still, there’s a slight possibility it’s old friend Teddy Bridgewater. Plus, who the hell is Skylar Thompson, anyway?
Miami could have as many as 18 players out. Even if they’re pretty healthy, will Thompson be able to use the weapons around them? Or will former San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel bust out some Kyle Shanahan-esque tricks to move the ball on the ground? And how much will the weather affect that? Will it rain? The forecast says there will be 40% coverage. Either way, how will the Vikings handle the humidity that will inevitably hit them?
To help sort through all this, I turn to former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Yes, the guy who worked in Gerald Ford and George W. Bush’s administrations. The Don before The Don, innovator of the “Rumsfeld matrix.” For the uninitiated, here’s his response to a question at a US Department of Defense news briefing on Feb. 12, 2002, about the lack of evidence linking Iraq’s government with the supply of weapons of mass destruction to terrorist groups.
Reports that say that something hasn’t happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say, we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns — the ones we don’t know we don’t know.
For those reading that quote for the first time, I’ll let you look up the historical implications and draw your own conclusions. Rumsfeld uses the Johari Window in this quote, a concept conceived by two psychologists in 1955 to help people better understand their relationships with themselves and others. It might help us sort through what the Vikings are about to face. After all, it’s only natural to be anxious about this game. Minnesota has had trouble with backup quarterbacks before.
Let’s start with Thompson. He’s a seventh-round rookie out of Kansas State who the Dolphins are planning to play in place of Tua Tagovailoa and Bridgewater. He didn’t play in Miami’s first four games and completed 19 of his 33 passes for 166 yards in a 40-17 loss to the New York Jets last week.
Thompson is mostly an unknown unknown as a player. The Vikings know they will face him and have a scouting report on him. But he was forced into action last week, and Miami has him getting first-team reps this week. They know the scouting report: He throws well deep but struggles to capitalize on zone windows. Ed Donatell’s scheme should be the perfect counter for that. But Thompson also plays for McDaniel, who has a masterful understanding of the run game and was part of a 49ers staff that prepared backup quarterbacks well.
“The one thing we know all the way back from the Niners, they get the guy ready to play,” said Donatell. “They’ve done that. Kyle’s done it. Mike’s done it over the years. So their plan is not gonna change a whole lot. And he’s played a lot in preseason. He played a lot last week.
“And a lot of people look at the score last week and go, ‘Wow, it must have been the change of quarterback.’ No, it was 19-17 in the fourth quarter, and then there was a turnover and some scoring on the other side that blew it open. But that was a lot closer game, and it’s a credit to them to lose your backup quarterback on the first play and be right there in the game in the fourth quarter.
“So we know that. That’s the truth.”
Okay, how about the weather? It’s 45 and miserable in Minnesota right now. But it’s supposed to be a high of 84 with 73% humidity and a 40% chance of showers. It’s going to be muggy. The Dolphins will wear their white jerseys, meaning the Vikings will be in their heat-seeking purple uniforms. Minnesota has been practicing inside, presumably with the heat turned up. But there’s nothing that can fully prepare them for the wall of mugginess that will hit them once they touch down in Dade county.
“Drinking a lot of water and drinking a lot of fluids,” said Justin Jefferson when asked how to prepare for the humidity. “We all know how tough it’s gonna be, just being in Miami. I’m glad we didn’t get them earlier in the season, but it’s still gonna be hot. We just gotta focus. We know what’s coming, so we can’t let it hit us in the face.”
It’s a little concerning that Jefferson, who was born and raised in New Orleans, is a little concerned about the conditions. Shouldn’t a lot of the Vikings players, who are from Sun Belt states like Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana, be accustomed to this weather?
“I’m from Louisiana,” said Jefferson. “But I’ve also been in Minnesota for a little bit, so I think my breathing is a little different now. I think I’m not really used to the humidity like I was, being at LSU and being in it every single day.
“I guess the blood is getting a little thicker.”
So what can the Vikings do about it?
They need to address some of their known unknowns.
We know that O’Connell coached under Sean McVay, but the Vikings’ offense hasn’t looked like a McVay offense yet despite all their weapons. Can they crack 30? Week 5 against a limited quarterback is an excellent time to do that.
What about the defense? Donatell’s unit continues to give up yardage, and teams threaten to put up points on them. But they haven’t given up more than 25 points all year. Even if they give up more, isn’t the offense supposed to be able to cover for that? Sooner or later, we’re going to find out.
If the Vikings take care of business, meaning the offense puts up 30-plus and the defense holds Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in check, they’ll be fine. But if they don’t, they’ll be entering the great unknown – a scary proposition for everybody.
