4 Quick Takeaways from the Vikings’ Season Opener
It was a tough game for the Minnesota Vikings, and the situation was quite tricky. First on the docket was a road game at Soldier Field, a place with a remarkably bad playing surface that has not been too friendly for Minnesota’s squad over the years (despite now winning six straight).
4 Quick Takeaways from the Vikings’ Season Opener
Yet, the crew pulled it off, winning the first of six divisional games 27-24.
1. McCarthy’s Resilience
Let’s start with the obvious. J.J. McCarthy had a shaky start to his NFL career. Nothing went right for the purple team for nearly three quarters. The pass protection didn’t hold up, especially Justin Skule, who replaced Christian Darrisaw at left tackle; receivers dropped passes, and McCarthy looked overwhelmed a few times, including the pick-six to ex-Viking Nahshon Wright.
However, he turned it around in the fourth quarter, tossing a pair of touchdown passes and also rushing for a third. McCarthy was nearly unbeatable in college and high school, and his scorecard says 1-0 in the NFL.
The sample size is still small, and evaluating a passer based on one game is never a good idea, but if he has demonstrated one thing, it’s that he can shake off a bad play and bounce back, rather than spiraling into a disastrous performance. That’s a big-time item on a player’s menu, and if he can check that box, he’s already a step ahead of most other quarterbacks in football.
2. RB Controversy?
Call it an overreaction, but running back Jordan Mason appeared to have more juice than starter Aaron Jones on Monday. In fact, he looked so much better that it was reasonable to call for him to stay on the field in crucial situations.
Jones rushed eight times for 23 yards, and Mason tabulated 15 carries for 68 yards. It is important to note, however, that Mason had one reception for seven yards and Jones three for 44 yards and a touchdown, in addition to drawing a major pass interference call.
The veteran is one of the best pass-catching backs in the game, but when it’s time for the ground game, Mason might be the better option at this point. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Mason continue to log more carries, while Jones is used as a dual threat.
3. Special Teams Demons
The Vikings needed every bit of energy they could get due to the subpar start to the game, and the forgotten special-teams phase came to play. Kicker Will Reichard drilled a 59-yarder late in the first half to cut the deficit to four points. That was the second-longest kick in franchise history. Overall, he hit both field goals and his only extra point attempt.
Another winner of the game was Myles Price, the punt returner, who logged 68 return yards on four punts, continuously setting up the offense with favorable field position. The undrafted rookie was fantastic and could turn into a real weapon for the purple squad.
And the next guy is an old friend, Eric Wilson. He played for the Vikings during the Mike Zimmer era and returned in free agency. The linebacker casually blocked a punt in his return, and he replaced linebacker Blake Cashman in the lineup, who suffered a hamstring injury. On defense, he was also flying around to make plays.
4. KOC’s Magic
Hired in 2022, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell has been a star for three years, making seemingly every quarterback look good, while also consistently winning games.
In fact, he’s now 32-11 when his QB1 is healthy, which includes Kirk Cousins, Sam Darnold, and J.J. McCarthy. Furthermore, he’s 31-3 when his team is at least tying the turnover battle, which they did on the final play of the game.
Editor’s Note: Information from ESPN, PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.