Five things stuck out from the Vikings’ heartbreaking loss to the Chargers.
The Vikings made a few dubious decisions throughout the fourth quarter.
The Lions and Packers both won to go to 2-1, two games ahead of Minnesota in the NFC North, while the Vikings suffered another crushing defeat at the hands of the Chargers on Sunday, dropping their record to 0-3 overall. Let’s examine the good and poor aspects of the Vikings’ most recent defeat.
When you throw to Justin Jefferson, good things happen.
The more Justin Jefferson costs, the less likely Minnesota is to make the playoffs. The Vikings were ahead 24–21 in the fourth quarter thanks to a 52-yard catch-and-run score by the top wide receiver, who finished with 149 yards on seven grabs.
In Weeks one, two, and three, the 24-year-old had 159, 150, and 149 yards, respectively. He is expected to total 2,595 yards at the end of the season. This week, his receptions were for…
Six of his seven receptions resulted in a loss or a first down.
During the season, 20 of his 27 catches were for first downs or first downs (19 first downs, 1 passing touchdown).
2.
Brutal sequence in the middle of the fourth quarter
The two killer plays were Los Angeles’ 3rd-and-17 in the fourth quarter that Keenan Allen caught for a 20-yard gain.
On the next play, the Chargers scored when Akayleb Evans let an interception slip through his and Josh Palmer’s hands for a 30-yard touchdown and a 28-24 lead.
Jordan Addison comes alive in crunch time Addison had just one catch for four yards in the first three quarters before coming alive with five catches and 48 yards in the fourth quarter.
Three of his receptions in the fourth quarter resulted in first downs.
After three games, it’s clear that Addison belongs in the NFL and deserves to be a first-round pick.
The USC recruit had touchdowns of 39 and 62 yards against the Bucs and Eagles, respectively, and on the season she has 13 catches for 185 yards and two scores.
Minnesota led 28-24 with less than four minutes left in the game and they had the ball on second and goal at the one-yard line.
Kevin O’Connell called a play that sent Jefferson, Addison and Osborn off the field, clearly signaling that the ball would be given to Alexander Mattison — and sure enough, Mattison lost by one yard.
Did the Vikings make a mistake by being too predictable?
Was it wise to put Jefferson on the field when the game was on the line?
Be the judge.
I’m confident in that decision,” O’Connell said.
“I’ve got to go back and look at it and see where the breakdown was in the play.
” There’s no doubt that the next pass decision was wrong mis-timed.
2nd and 10 with 90 seconds left, Cousins handed the ball to Mattison and he was stuffed for a 1-yard loss.
This tied the score 3rd and 11 as the Vikings converted conversion thanks to a Chargers penalty, but Running the game in this situation looks very unusual.
What happened when the Vikings rushed into the game in the final seconds?
Cousins hit Hockenson for a 9-yard gain and a first down for Minnesota at the 6-yard line.
Hockenson was tackled with about 37 seconds left.
Instead of running to the goal line to punch the ball and stop the clock, the Vikings wandered around, looking confused, only to make a play that ended with a deflected ball and an interception to end it.
match.
Why didn’t Cousins throw the ball and score first with at least 20 seconds left?
O’Connell acted as if Cousins was having trouble hearing him through the headphones.
“Hopefully we have the elements in our attack to move at the same pace as a clock game.
There’s a bit.
with the crowds and the situations.
with the headset , “It was a little confusing at first, but by the time he could hear me clearly and tell everyone to line up, too much time had passed,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said.
“Looking back, it should have been “I should’ve just timed it.
” and took three snaps from there to try to kick the ball into the end zone.
“I think he had trouble hearing me at first,” O’Connell continued.
“Whether it was the crowd or something, he couldn’t hear me clearly at first, and then when he put it together, enough clocks had gone off so I thought maybe we should time him that at that time.
” Why doesn’t Cousins command and time the ball?
O’Connell said that would be an option if headset communications were “completely” broken, so it was clearly the coach’s call.
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