7 Takeaways from the Vikings’ Preseason Opener
The Minnesota Vikings are 1-0, at least in the meaningless preseason standings. Late in the fourth quarter, ex-Gophers passer Max Brosmer finished the game in victory formation at the cusp of Houston’s endzone, as the Vikings had a comfortable 20-10 lead. Here’s what we’ve learned.
The Vikings Have a Secret Playmaker
Zavier Scott was hired last August, joining the Vikings’ practice squad after failing to secure a roster spot with the Indianapolis Colts. The UConn and Maine running back starred in his first preseason outing with the purple squad.
The third-year player is a big body at the halfback position at 6’1″ and 219 lbs, and he still has some juice coming out of the backfield. He was the third rusher on Saturday’s depth chart behind starter Jordan Mason and backup Ty Chandler. Aaron Jones didn’t participate in the scrimmage.
Scott delivered 40 rushing yards on seven runs and caught one pass for 11 yards. The Texans struggled to bring him to the ground multiple times. He has the size and the pass-catching ability to be a real option for the RB3 role.
Sam Howell Looked Like a QB2
Quarterback Sam Howell was acquired via trade to solidify the backup QB spot behind starter J.J. McCarthy, but his early performance in training camp was alarming. Well, the signal-caller shed all of those struggles in his first preseason game, looking poised in the pocket, and he made smart decisions.
All in all, Howell was a mature signal-caller, which is just what a backup needs to be. He completed 11 of 13 passes for 105 yards and capped off a 94-yard drive with a rushing touchdown on a QB sneak.
The Depth WRs Made Plays
Let’s start with the unfortunate aspect: Rondale Moore suffered what Kevin O’Connell called after the game a “pretty significant knee injury.” He might not contribute this year.
With Justin Jefferson currently banged up and Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games, the Vikings need depth receivers to make some noise. No wideout broke the stat sheet, but all of them made a play or two. Most notable was Lucky Jackson, who’s a strong breakout candidate. The camp standout caught three passes for 30 yards. Jeshaun Jones, Myles Price, Tai Felton, Silas Bolden, and Dontae Fleming secured at least one grab.
Gabriel Murphy’s Emergence
After last year’s draft, the Vikings signed undrafted rookie player Gabriel Murphy, an edge rusher out of UCLA. He generated some buzz; perhaps he can become the next UDFA to make the team for the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately, an injury robbed him of his preseason and most of the regular season, and he appeared in only two games.
In his preseason debut, Murphy collected 1.5 sacks, three tackles, and one tackle for loss, undoubtedly looking like he’s ready to be the next guy in the rotation behind Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Dallas Turner.
J.J. McCarthy’s Day
If you tuned in 15 minutes late, you missed J.J. McCarthy’s preseason return. The second-year player finished with an unimpressive line of 30 passing yards and zero touchdowns or interceptions, completing four of seven passes on his only drive.
His play replicated all the camp reports. He was in full command of the offense, but his accuracy was not flawless, costing him one completion to Lucky Jackson on a third down. On the flip side, he was calm under pressure, delivered a couple of excellent passes, and showed some mobility. The frequent camp phrase “up and down” is fitting once again.
His play wasn’t eye-opening by any means, but he wasn’t bad either.
QB3 Should Be a Competition
Max Brosmer was signed after the draft, allowing him to stay in the state. The former Gopher was fantastic in his first NFL action, completing five of eight passes for 47 yards and Minnesota’s only passing touchdown of the day. Brett Rypien, meanwhile, only hit one of four passes for six yards, and he took a pair of sacks.
Sure, Rypien’s offensive line didn’t look particularly good, and Brosmer played against defenders that probably won’t ever see an NFL field in the regular season, but he was accurate, on time, and showed both arm strength and touch.
On Saturday, Brosmer was clearly the better player and deserves more looks in the future.
Will Reichard Bounced Back
Kicker Will Reichard finally got to kick in some real games after some alarming numbers surfaced from training camp. The sophomore kicked four times and he hit all of them. Two of those were field goals (the longest from 48 yards) and he split the uprights twice on extra points.
Reichard struggled in the last six games of last season and continued to be a shaky kicker in camp. In the preseason, however, he certainly gained some confidence.
Editor’s Note: Information from ESPN, PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.