5 Plays Led to the Vikings’ Demise in Denver
The Minnesota Vikings suffered a heart-breaking loss at the hands of the Denver Broncos last Sunday.
The game was one that could have been had by the Vikings, but they simply let it slip away down the stretch. There are a number of plays that, if they resulted differently, could have changed the outcome of this game. Here is a look at 5 plays that ultimately led to the Vikings’ demise on Sunday.
Josh Dobbs’ Fumble
Once again, turnovers were a big problem for the Vikings in Week 11. They had done a good job of limiting turnovers during their five-game winning streak, giving the ball away just five times. The opening possession for the Vikings ended those ways though as Josh Dobbs fumbled the ball away, allowing the Broncos to have their first drive in Minnesota’s territory.
Of course, the fumble resulted from a questionable hit by Kareem Jackson, who faces another suspension because he used the crown of his helmet to make the tackle. Regardless, he was not flagged for the hit, and Denver took an early lead because of the turnover.
Ed Ingram’s Penalty
Minnesota has been one of the more disciplined team in the NFL and have not had too many crippling penalties this season. However, there was one penalty that was truly costly for the Vikings on Sunday night.
During the Vikings’ final drive of the first half, a 16-yard connection between Dobbs and T.J. Hockenson was wiped out by an ineligible man downfield penalty by Ed Ingram. The play would have resulted in Minnesota crossing into Denver territory, but instead, the Vikings moved backwards. After three unsuccessful plays, the Vikings were forced to punt and allowed Denver to get a last-second field goal going into the half.
Alexander Mattison’s Fumble
Of course, this is the play that everyone has talked about following the game. With the Vikings driving down the field and up by eight points, Alexander Mattison got a carry on first down. Instead of doing what he typically had throughout the night and gain 4-5 yards, he coughed the ball up and allowed Josey Jewell to land on top of it.
Denver promptly drove down the field and kicked a field goal. Instead of the Vikings holding a double-digit lead going into the fourth quarter, the Broncos were able to trim the lead to five. These types of turnovers plagued the Vikings early in the season and proved to be their undoing once again.
A Near Takeaway by Ivan Pace
With Jordan Hicks heading to IR, rookie Ivan Pace stepped in as the main linebacker for the Vikings this past weekend. He came inches away from coming up with a huge takeaway and making a game-saving play for Minnesota.
During Denver’s final touchdown drive of the game, Wilson hit Samaje Perine for a six-yard gain near the red zone. As Perine attempted to get out of bounds, Pace hit him with a huge tackle, forcing a fumble. However, before the rookie realized the ball was loose, it bounced harmlessly out of bounds. A big “what if” moment for the Vikings down the stretch.
Courtland Sutton TD
Poor Mekhi Blackmon was on the wrong end of the deciding play of the game. Our own Kyle Joudry wisely suggested earlier in the week that while Minnesota’s defense has played very well, they lack size in the secondary that could prove to be their undoing.
That is exactly what happened on Denver’s game-winning TD. The 6’4″, 220-pound Courtland Sutton found himself matched up against the 5’11”, 178-pound Blackmon, and he simply had to go up over the smaller cornerback to haul in the deciding score. Could it have been different if Evans (6’2″, 198 pounds) was in the game? Perhaps, but we’ll never know.
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.