While most folks (myself included) were already throwing dirt on this team after six weeks, the Minnesota Vikings shocked the perennial powerhouse San Francisco 49ers 22-17 in front of the Monday Night Football audience. Coming off arguably their worst performance of the season last week against the lowly Chicago Bears, the offense provided a full game’s worth of high-level execution against the NFL’s No. 2 scoring defense — aside from the recurring opening drive turnover.
Facing 2022 All-Pros at all three levels of San Francisco’s defense in Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, and Talanoa Hufanga, the Vikings went to work by establishing the run early in the first half. But once San Francisco’s vaunted defensive front turned up the heat on Minnesota’s running game, Kevin O’Connell put the ball in Kirk Cousins‘ hands and asked his much-maligned offensive line to hold up against one of the best fronts in the league.
And, boy, did they answer the call. Before we get to Cousins and the breakout performance from rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison, we have to start with the offensive line. San Francisco has made a habit out of shutting down opposing running games and rendering opponents one dimensional. Dropping back 45 times against this team is playing directly into their hands. Because, considerably more often than not, 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa and his fellow game wreckers up front are going to make at least one play that causes a strip sack, forces an ugly interception, or halts a critical drive by bringing the quarterback to the ground on a pivotal third down.
But Minnesota’s offensive line simply wasn’t having it. On those 45 dropbacks, the Niners only hit Cousins six times, according to ESPN. An immense amount of credit is due for Dalton Risner, who made his first start with Minnesota at left guard, as well as Garrett Bradbury and Ed Ingram. The Vikings have been spoiled with elite tackle play courtesy of Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, and Monday night was no different for those two.
In March, John Lynch and the Niners paid defensive tackle Javon Hargrave $84 million for these exact type of games. Along with Bosa, Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw, Randy Gregory, and Clelin Ferrell, San Fran knows that their front will have plenty of one-on-one opportunities if opposing offenses decide to double Bosa or Hargrave. While San Francisco’s front came excruciatingly close to getting home at times, Cousins maneuvered the pocket and consistently got the ball out.
For as much credit as we want to pour onto Cousins, Addison, T.J. Hockenson, and the defense (we’ll get to them soon enough), it has to start with the five guys up front who didn’t allow a sack, enabling Minnesota’s offense to churn out a 452 yards and converting on 8 of 13 third downs.
With the boys up front giving him enough time to operate for 60 minutes, Cousins was masterful. It’s easy to understand why 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hasn’t really try to hide his infatuation with the quarterback he once coached in Washington. Without his 2022 NFL Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson to throw to, Cousins diced up San Francisco to the tune of:
- 35/45 (77.8 completion percentage)
- 378 yards
- two touchdowns
- one interception
- 107.2 passer rating
It was the most passing yards that San Fran had allowed since Week 7 of 2022, when Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs put up 417 yards in their 44-23 victory. Granted, Addison bailed Cousins out on what probably should’ve been a second first-half interception in the closing seconds of the second quarter. However, Addison’s stunning play to rip the ball away from Charvarius Ward might’ve just turned Minnesota’s season around.
Addison officially introduced himself to the football world by exploding for seven grabs, 123 yards, and two touchdowns. Randy Moss was the last Vikings rookie wide receiver who scored two touchdowns in his 1998 Monday Night Football debut. Operating as the clear-cut WR1 in Jefferson’s absence, Addison demonstrated why the Vikings couldn’t pass on him with the 23rd-overall pick in this year’s draft.
A foot injury forced Addison to the locker room late in the third quarter. However, he returned and delivered a critical 13-yard reception to move the sticks on third-and-three, simultaneously bringing the Vikings into field goal range with just over two minutes remaining. The numbers are gaudy, don’t get me wrong. But it’s the gotta-have-it moments like this particular third-down conversion that separates the good receivers from the great ones. Addison’s pristine route running on the post-corner is eerily similar to what the Vikings had with Stefon Diggs once upon a time. With Addison undeniably cementing himself as the superior option to K.J. Osborn, Minnesota’s passing game is capable of being the best in the league if/when Jefferson returns down the stretch.
How about that Brian Flores’ defense? The Vikings cut off the head of the snake by limiting All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey to just 45 rushing yards on 15 carries. Sure, the Niners were without All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams. But I’m still old enough to remember Shanahan’s 2019 San Francisco ground game running circles around opponents en route to the Super Bowl without Williams. By eliminating McCaffrey on the ground, the Vikings forced Brock Purdy to beat them tonight. And Minnesota forced the second-year signal caller into throwing two costly interceptions to Cam Bynum on their final two drives.
Danielle Hunter certainly elevated his trade value on national television by recording his ninth sack of the season on Monday night. But with the stunning victory over the game’s elite, the Vikings are no longer in any position whatsoever to part with their best defensive player before next week’s trade deadline.
Folks were well within their rights to doubt this team before Monday night. But with a favorable stretch upcoming in the schedule, the Vikings played their way into meaningful football entering the back half of the 2023 season. The combined record of Minnesota’s next six opponents is 16-25, and the 3-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently occupy of the sixth and final playoff spot in the NFC. Don’t look now, but the Vikings are right in the thick of NFC’s Wild Card picture.
This is easily Kevin O’Connell’s most impressive win since becoming the head coach last season. There’s an argument to be made that it was also Cousins’ greatest regular-season performance as a Viking. Any time you can beat the team that has been to three of the past four NFC Championship games, and with the defense they possess, it’ll forever be a feather in both of their respective caps. But to explode for this type of offensive output without Jefferson is downright remarkable.
Fortunes can change on a dime in the National Football League, for better or worse. And somehow, Minnesota’s appears to be looking mighty promising after pulling off the upset that might’ve saved their season.
