Despite ending the common season with a 13-4 document, the Minnesota Vikings are largely an afterthought within the NFC playoffs. The Philadelphia Eagles seem like a Super Bowl favourite, the San Francisco 49ers are driving Mr. Irrelevant, Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers barely made the playoffs, Dallas at all times will get consideration as America’s crew, Brian Daboll has the New York Giants again within the playoffs, whereas the Russell Wilson-less Seattle crew grabbed the final playoff spot.
Then there are the Vikings, overshadowed by groups with higher information or extra fascinating narratives however because the three seed, internet hosting the Giants this weekend.
With a brand new basic supervisor (Kwesi Adofo-Mensah) and head coach (Kevin O’Connell), many thought the crew could be in rebuilding mode with first-timers in these very important positions. Instead, Minnesota misplaced to the Eagles in Week 2 earlier than working their document to 8-1 earlier than a mid-November loss to the Cowboys.
A Week 14 loss to the Detroit Lions regardless of QB Kirk Cousins throwing for 425 yards, two touchdowns, and 0 interceptions created nationwide doubt across the crew. A 41-17 blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 formalized the narrative that the Vikings have been good however not adequate.
How might a 13-4 crew, who in November beat the vaunted Buffalo Bills, be thought-about not adequate?
As with every part within the NFL in the present day, it begins with the quarterback. No quantity of shirtless, gold jewelry-clad dancing will change the truth that Cousins is the poster baby for “not good enough” on the place, whether or not it’s correct or not.
Cousins’s season was largely spectacular on the floor with 4,547 yards passing (4th within the NFL) and 29 touchdowns (tied for fifth). The veteran signal-caller additionally averaged a good middle-of-the-pack in yards per try (7.1). Under Cousins, Minnesota’s offense scored 24.9 factors per recreation, good for eighth within the league.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t all spectacular for Cousins. He tied for the third-most interceptions thrown (14) and sacks taken this 12 months (46).
Advanced statistics like DVOA weren’t impressed with the Vikings quarterback this 12 months. DVOA which defines “a quarterback with more value per play” has Cousins ranked seventeenth within the league. Pro Football Focus graded Cousins’ passing tied for tenth with Geno Smith and his total grade because the 14th-best quarterback within the league.
Much just like the narrative round his crew, Cousins was good however not adequate.
Cousins is way from the largest concern on the offensive aspect of the ball.
The offensive line is among the many decrease half of the league this season in each go and run blocking, and the 46 sacks fall each on the quarterback and his offensive line. As RB Dalvin Cook rushed for greater than 1,100 yards (sixth within the NFL), he lacked explosiveness a lot of the 12 months as proven by his 4.4 yards per carry.
While the Minnesota offense had a little bit greatness (Jefferson), some good (Cousins, Cook), and a few mediocre (offensive line), the protection introduced the crew again down with a whole lot of the dangerous.
The Vikings tied for the third-most factors allowed this season at 25.1 a recreation. While the offense’s interceptions didn’t assist that quantity, the next-closest NFC playoff crew (Giants) gave up simply 21.8 factors per recreation. Minnesota gave up 20 or extra factors in 13 of their 17 video games this season which makes their 13-4 document much more spectacular.
The 4 video games they saved groups from scoring 20 factors present much more perspective if you take a look at the quarterback performances:
- Week 1 – Aaron Rodgers had one of many worst video games of his profession with simply 195 yards passing
- Week 6 – With Tua Tagovailoa out on account of a concussion, Teddy Bridgewater returned from his personal concussion to guide a late Miami comeback after Skyler Thompson’s first profession begin went poorly
- Week 9 – Taylor Heinicke had simply 149 yards passing in his third recreation in aid of Carson Wentz
- Week 18 – Chicago began Nathan Peterman as an alternative of Justin Fields resulting in the anticipated outcomes of poor quarterback play. Tim Boyle completed the sport for the Bears
DVOA has the protection ranked twenty seventh within the league.
The unit has some high quality veterans main the way in which. Pass rushers Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith mixed for 20.5 sacks and 27 tackles for loss. CB Patrick Peterson and S Harrison Smith every had 5 interceptions.
After that, discovering manufacturing on that aspect of the ball is troublesome. PFF has only one different participant who performed 300 or extra snaps grading out over 80 (out of 100), CB Duke Shelley. Shelley solely performed in 9 video games this season however logged 398 snaps.
The protection was mediocre at stopping the run however one of many worst at getting strain on the quarterback this season in keeping with ESPN’s win price metrics.
Thankfully for the Vikings, the crew’s optimistic qualities have been nonetheless sufficient to get them home-field benefit within the first spherical and a rematch with New York. Minnesota pulled off the last-second victory within the two crew’s Week 16 matchup on a 61-yard subject purpose as time expired.
Cousins had a very good recreation towards the Giants protection with 299 yards and three touchdowns. He was additionally sacked 4 occasions. The opposing quarterback that day, Daniel Jones, threw the ball all around the subject that day racking up 334 yards passing with one landing and one interception.
Sunday afternoon, the Vikings have one other likelihood to vary the narrative round their crew. It begins with Cousins, however the protection that has performed poorly will assist resolve whether or not the third seed within the NFC goes to be feared within the postseason or confirmed to be a middle-of-the-road fraud regardless of their 14-3 document.
Besides transferring on within the playoffs, loads is on the road for Minnesota Sunday afternoon.