NFC North Recap: Preseason Week One

Vikings QBs
Jun 9, 2021; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kellen Mond (11), quarterback Kirk Cousins (8), and quarterback Jake Browning (3) talk during drills at OTA at TCO Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

The NFL was buzzing this weekend as preseason football got underway for the first time in two years. There were some impressive performances across the league, especially from some of the rookie quarterbacks making their debuts. The preseason is a time to learn about the latest versions of teams, especially in terms of depth. With that said, here is a quick recap of what happened around the NFC North on this opening preseason weekend.

A Tale of Two Halves for Justin Fields, Bears

The first half of the Chicago Bears opener against Miami was not something worth watching a ton of. Andy Dalton had an underwhelming performance, going 2/4 for 18 yards and a pair of three-and-outs on his only two drives of the day. The defense and special teams were similarly flat, giving up a 50-yard reception to TE Mike Gesicki and a trio of 20+ yard punt returns.

Then, in came Justin Fields. On his first series, a pair of false start penalties derailed any momentum. Fields’ first three drives were similar to Dalton’s, all being three-and-outs ending in punts. To close the first half though, Fields led an impressive 42-yard drive in 40 seconds to close the half with a field goal.

After trailing 13-3 going into the half, Fields and the Bears came out of the half and scored touchdowns on back-to-back drives. His day was highlighted with an eight-yard touchdown run and a 30-yard touchdown pass where he connected with TE Jesse James. Chicago won the game 20-13, and Fields showed he can play at the NFL level.

Nothing But Love in Green Bay

Most of Green Bay’s starters did not play in this game against the Texans, allowing an opportunity for young players to prove themselves. Many did not do that. On a day that was otherwise very forgettable for the Packers, second-year QB Jordan Love performed at a high level in his first snaps since college.

Love’s big day culminated in an 88-yard touchdown drive for Green Bay’s only score. The 2020 first-round pick was smooth in the pocket, and he formed connection with WR Devin Funchess, who tallied six catches for 70 yards on the day.

Outside of Love and the receivers, there wasn’t much to be excited about. Tyrod Taylor outclassed the Packer defense, and the issues on special teams remain. Even the running game was bad, with the Texans front pushing Green Bay’s offensive line backwards on a consistent basis.

A Few Bumps in the Road for the Motor City

For the Detroit Lions to be successful this year, they need to be able to win in the trenches. The offensive line struggled a bit, especially early on in the game. Rookie Penei Sewell got the start at right tackle and went through a few growing pains. On the third play of the game, he got beat by fellow rookie Gregory Rousseau, who recorded a sack on the 3rd and 10 play.

There were multiple big plays in the trenches that Detroit won, though. On their second drive, the Lions methodically moved down the field for 75 yards over the course of 18 plays. During this drive, the Lions successfully converted a pair of third-and-shorts by punching the ball up the middle on rushes.

Both Jared Goff and David Blough played decent football during their drives under center. Tim Boyle on the other hand struggled mightily. Boyle couldn’t find his rhythm and finished with just 38 yards on 8/15 passing.

The Vikings’ Day From Helheim

Similarly to the Packers, the Minnesota Vikings sat out virtually all of their starters against the Broncos. Specifically on defense, this was very evident. The Vikings got very poor effort all-around from their secondary. The safeties were particularly bad, with combination of blown coverage from Cam Dantzler and bad help from Cam Bynum leading to an 80-yard touchdown connection between Drew Lock and K.J. Hamler.

The offensive line play was decent overall, but the weakest link of the day was clearly Dakota Dozier. Dozier had a very rough outing that included a false start penalty to back Minnesota up to their own goal line, and then a hold in the end zone that resulted in a safety. Many Vikings fans were hoping to see training camp hero, Oli Udoh, but he sat out the entirety of the game. This may prove his place on the roster is all but solidified.

The Viking QBs had their fair share of struggles too. Jake Browning seemed very tentative on his drives, and he was far too hesitant on throws. Kellen Mond had the exact opposite problem. Mond showed some flashes of good play, but never really settled in. He moved too fast and seemed like he was pressing too much. This is to be expected from a rookie quarterback that missed extensive time during training camp in covid protocols.

It’s also worth noting that kicker Greg Joseph had a solid outing. He handled kickoff duties throughout the day, and he nailed both of his field goal attempts.

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