The 10 Most Explosive TD Plays from the 2022 Vikings Offense
Josh Frey
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In the spirit of the 4th of July while everyone is setting off their fireworks to celebrate Independence Day, it only felt right to go back and take a look back at some of the most explosive plays from the Minnesota Vikings season. Here is a list of the 10 most explosive TD plays from the 2022 Vikings offense.
10. Justin Jefferson 17-Yard TD Catch vs. NY Giants
To get the list started, we take a look at the Vikings first matchup of the season with the New York Giants. This time around, Minnesota would end up on top in part because of this 17-yard touchdown grab by Justin Jefferson:
9. Kirk Cousins 17-Yard TD Run vs. Arizona
Technically, Kirko’s run ties with Justin Jefferson’s 17-yard TD catch, but given the fact that it was so unexpected from the usually pocket-passing QB, we had to place it a spot above JJ. Take a look at the Kirk Cousins speed on full display against the Cardinals back in Week 8:
8. Justin Jefferson 22-Yard TD Catch vs. Buffalo
Not only did JJ have the catch of the year against Buffalo in order to save Minnesota’s chances in that game, but he also got the scoring started with a nifty 22-yard TD catch in the first quarter.
7. Adam Thielen 23-Yard TD Catch vs. Detroit
Adam Thielen sneaks onto the list at No. 7 because of a gutsy 4th-and-4 call by Kevin O’Connell in Detroit. Thielen snatches the catch and uses his shifty agility in order to make a Lions defender miss and be able to walk into the end zone.
6. K.J. Osborn 28-Yard TD Catch vs. Detroit
The Kirk Cousins/K.J. Osborn connection was a clutch one all season long in 2022, and we get a great example of it in Week 3 against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. Trailing by three points with under a minute to play, Osborn bursts past the Detroit defense in order to snag a 28-yard TD that ultimately won the game for Minnesota.
5. Justin Jefferson 36-Yard TD Catch vs. Green Bay
The Vikings 2022 season got off to a hot start with a blowout victory against their division rival Green Bay Packers in Week 1. In O’Connell’s coaching debut, Jefferson put on a clinic, catching a pair of TD passes in the first half. Here’s his 36-yard snag that put Minnesota up by three scores just before halftime.
4. Jalen Nailor 47-Yard TD Catch vs. Green Bay
The other game against Green Bay wasn’t so memorable, but it did give Jalen Nailor his first touchdown of his NFL career. The sixth-round pick out of Michigan State put his nickname “Speedy” to work here with a 47-yard touchdown grab.
3. Dalvin Cook 53-Yard TD Run vs. Miami
Spoiler alert: Dalvin Cook gets the final three spots on the list. The first of his huge plays in 2022 comes against his hometown Miami Dolphins where a 53-yard run sealed a victory for Minnesota on the road.
2. Dalvin Cook 64-Yard TD Catch vs. Indianapolis
The NFL’s greatest comeback ever couldn’t have happened if Cook didn’t find lightning in a bottle on this play. With under two and a half minutes to play, the veteran running back showed his versatility by lining up out wide and taking a screen pass to the house, and a two-point conversion by the Vikings would officially eliminate what was once a 33-0 deficit.
1. Dalvin Cook 81-Yard TD Run vs. Buffalo
Of course, one of the wildest Vikings games of the season would have the most explosive TD play of the year as well. With Minnesota desperately needing a quick strike, down 17 towards the end of the third quarter, Cook took a handoff 81 yards to the house, giving the Vikings hope.
Bonus: Kene Nwangwu Takes a Kickoff Back for a 97-Yard TD
What can we say? Though not a play on offense, it is a play involving a player from the offense. Nwangwu is extremely dangerous as a returner. Hopefully, he can stick around to keep providing plays like this one:
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.