The Minnesota Vikings looked to keep their season alive after two brutal home losses. However, the Green Bay Packers stood in their way at Lambeau Field in a 23-6 defeat.
The offense took the field first and looked to get off to a fast start, something they haven’t done all year. And it was working out at first, with Aaron Jones getting them in Packers territory after just two rushes, and a 15-yard throw to Jefferson. However, the Packers would force three straight incompletions, forcing the offense to settle for a field goal from the trusty Will Reichard.
That would wind up being half the Vikings’ total points.
The defense then allowed Jordan Love and the Packers to cut through them, giving Green Bay a 7-3 lead. The Vikings would make two more big pushes in the first half, with one drive stalling out in scoring position after a failed fourth-down conversion attempt, and a field goal in the waning moments that would be the last points they scored on the day. It was only 10-6 Packers going into the half, but the game would never feel that close again.
After the Vikings stopped the Packers on the first drive of the half, a Myles Price muff would see the Packers take over at Minnesota’s five-yard line, where they would punch the ball in with Wilson yet again, making it 17-6. The Packers’ offense would add a couple more field goals while the defense racked up sacks on a helpless Vikings’ offense.
Here are five numbers to break down this loss.
595
The Vikings finally have all five members of their starting offensive line playing together after 595 offensive snaps.
In the offseason, the Vikings invested heavily in resetting their interior offensive line by bringing in Ryan Kelly and Will Fries via free agency and drafting Donovan Jackson in the first round.
Despite the overhaul, all five starting members of the offensive line had yet to play a snap together until this game. Every member of the offensive line outside of Fries has missed at least a game with injury.
Fans have seen the impact of these injuries on the offense as a whole. Everyone remembers the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers, and Philadelphia Eagles games, and a few more in which the O-line couldn’t hold up and let the offense take shots downfield.
Despite taking so long to finally play together, their first game fully healthy could not have come at a better time, facing off against a fearsome Packers pass rush. Unfortunately, it wasn’t nearly enough, as the Packers racked up five sacks on the afternoon, two on the cusp of being safeties.
5.1
Minnesota averaged 5.1 yards per carry in the first half.
Coming into this week, much of the discussion focused on how the Vikings would help McCarthy. The run game did step up.
Green Bay was without Quay Walker, and Minnesota’s play calling put a lot of pressure on the Packers to fill in at middle linebacker and on how they would defend the run. Despite only having six points on the board, the Vikings seemed to find some success in the run game, with both Jones and Jordan Mason effective on first and second down.
That added help allowed McCarthy to settle in and not force the ball as much. Minnesota’s offense was able to move the ball down the field in the first half. They never had a three-and-out, but they still were without a touchdown.
8
The Vikings now have eight games without a touchdown in the first half.
While the first half was a major improvement over last week, they still couldn’t find paydirt. The offense got all the way to Green Bay’s red zone in the second quarter, but they were unable to convert on both third-and-one and fourth-and-one.
Outside of the first drive, the defense didn’t allow Green Bay’s offense to find the end zone in the first half. Still, the ability to convert in the red zone and come away with points separated these two teams before halftime.
Cleaning up the turnovers is a more than encouraging sign. Still, this team needs to figure out a way to get into the end zone in the first half, take pressure off the defense, and allow them to take more risks.
-12
The Vikings have a -12 turnover differential this season.
Just as it looked like the Vikings were going to potentially reel this game back in, a turnover plagued them yet again. This time, Myles Price touched a punt that had hit the ground near the end zone.
While the offense played clean football in the first half, the special teams found a way to make a big blunder in their third straight week, with Price’s third fumble in three weeks. Just as it seems like this team is making progress, they do something to derail the game.
While the game may have been out of reach, McCarthy’s interception likely put a nail in the coffin.
The defense’s inability to create turnovers is even more frustrating, given how good they were last season. They are creating more turnovers and causing fewer, leading to a -12 point differential this season.
-10
The third quarter is when the game really went off the rails; the offense ran just six plays for -10 yards.
The third quarter started promisingly with Minnesota’s defense forcing the Packers to punt, but from here it would all go downhill. Price’s muff undoubtedly changed the complexion of the game, but the offense’s inability to bounce back is what damned them.
After they got the ball back, the offense seemed to realize they could no longer lean on the run game as they had in the first half and looked to air it out. This wouldn’t work as McCarthy was now in the direct line of fire of Green Bay’s front four.
They would proceed to hit him on every single snap, not letting the young quarterback get into any rhythm. Parsons really turned the game around, causing pressure on every play and making it impossible for the offense to get anything going.
While the first half was close, the Packers separated themselves in the third quarter.
