With Loss to KC, Minnesota Finishes Preseason 0-3
K. Joudry
|
We were all hoping for more from the first team offense. Unfortunately, Kirk Cousins and friends didn’t deliver. Our Minnesota Vikings ended the preseason with a 28-25 loss to the Chiefs.
The offense’s opening drive was promising. The Vikings had four first downs. A critical 3rd & goal, though, ended in an incomplete pass to Chad Beebe. Greg Joseph nailed his field goal, so there were at least some positives. The next two drives, in contrast, finished poorly. Both were 3 and out. Now, keep in mind that there was no Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, or Dalvin Cook. It still would have been good to see more.
Things didn’t go any better for the defense. On the game’s opening drive, Patrick Mahomes found Tyreek Hill for a long TD. As soon as he saw Bashaud Breeland left alone on Hill, Mahomes knew where he was going. D.J. Wonnum – our backup DE – was in coverage on the other side of the field. It didn’t matter. Mahomes is always going to find Hill when he’s in a true one-on-one situation. On KC’s next possession, Mahomes again displayed his brilliance. We were quickly down 14-3.
One of the more fascinating parts of the game rested in who came in as QB2. Browning again got the nod; Browning again struggled. To his credit, he had a nice long completion to K.J. Osborn at the end of the half, one that helped set up a 52 yard FG attempt for Greg Joseph. Joseph missed the kick.
In the second half, Minnesota continued to struggle. Mond threw a bad interception on his first drive of the night. On the team’s next possession, Mond picked up a 4th & 5 with his legs. Shortly thereafter, the Vikings got their first offensive TD of the preseason. The good times didn’t last since KC quickly responded with another TD.
We added a pick-six in the 4th, even tacking on a 2 point conversion. Alas, it was too little, too late. It was a long night.
The highlight of the game for Vikings fans was Everson’s Griffen sack. Heck, that might have been the highlight of the whole Minnesota Vikings preseason. Admittedly, it’s weird seeing him in that number, but the sack dance was awesome.
The focus now shifts to what Minnesota will do with their roster. There will surely be some unexpected cuts. Earlier, Josh Frey wrote about his list of players who could be looking for work. It’ll be fascinating what the team decides to do with Dakota Dozier, Jake Browning, and Stephen Weatherly. I’m also keeping an eye on the receiver battle and how things shake out along the defensive line.
This article originally appeared on one of our partner sites: VikingsGazette.com. Check out The Vikings Gazette and follow them on Twitter and on Facebook for more exclusive Minnesota Vikings content and analysis!