4 Quick Takeaways from the Vikings’ Week 7 Loss
The Minnesota Vikings couldn’t pull it off, losing yet another game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Following the 28-22 defeat, the operation sits in last place in the divisional standings with a 3-3 record.
4 Quick Takeaways from the Vikings’ Week 7 Loss
Like every game, we’ve learned some things about the squad.
1. The QB solution hasn’t been found.
Carson Wentz made his fourth consecutive start as J.J. McCarthy has yet to return from his ankle injury. The sophomore was in the emergency quarterback role.
A potential revenge game was in the cards for Wentz, but he quickly blew his chance, throwing a pick-six early in the game and another interception shortly later. Various other mind-boggling misses just added to the list of mistakes.
Ultimately, Wentz displayed his well-known decision-making concerns, and his accuracy was not NFL-worthy. It’ll be a quick turnaround for the Vikings, who are scheduled to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday. A starter has not been named by Kevin O’Connell, but Skol Nation likely wants a change following Sunday’s struggles.
2. Magical Ivan Pace run might be over.
Linebacker Ivan Pace entered the league like a wrecking ball, and that pretty much describes his playing style. In 2023, he went undrafted and signed with the Vikings. Playing under Brian Flores was a match made in heaven for the blitz-heavy coach and the blitzing-specialist from the second level, and he quickly earned a starting gig.
Two years later, it seems as if the magic has dwindled. Pace didn’t play a single defensive snap on Sunday, as he watched Blake Cashman return from his injury stint. Joshua Metellus was lined up as a linebacker more often than in previous weeks, and Eric Wilson, who started in place of Cashman, also received plenty of run.
There’s still a chance it was just a matchup decision. We’ll find out on Thursday.
3. The playmakers showed up.
While many things were off on Sunday, the playmakers came to play, and they racked up yards all day. The game script helped the Vikings, who were trailing pretty much the entire game.
Jordan Addison led the club with nine catches for 128 yards. His out-routes were Wentz’s go-to play. Justin Jefferson caught five passes for 79 yards. Wentz missed him a few times on deep shots, and Cooper DeJean knocked a touchdown out of his hands.
T.J. Hockenson also came alive, securing six passes for 43 yards. A touchdown grab was overturned. That pass was another Wentz inaccuracy. Adam Thielen caught one pass on a third down, while Jordan Mason added 57 rushing yards and the team’s only touchdown.
The blueprint is clear: run the ball with Mason, then throw to the dangerous receiving weapons.
4. Suddenly, the pass defense is a concern.
In the past games, the running defense was the area of concern for the Minnesota Vikings. Against the Eagles, Flores shut down Saquon Barkley and the Eagles on the ground, but Jalen Hurts discovered his arm.
Out of nowhere, the struggling Eagles’ passing attack was unstoppable. Hurts completed 19 of 23 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns. The Vikings allowed multiple deep completions, especially when Isaiah Rodgers was targeted.
Justin Herbert is next on the docket, and he shredded the Vikings in 2023. Some adjustments need to be made.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.