NFL
By Steve Rogers
The Minnesota Vikings are back on the road again. However, this time it’s a trip within the Central Time Zone and within the division as well. The Vikings are off to the Motor City to face off against the division-leading Detroit Lions.
Maybe getting back to a more regular sense of normalcy will help the Vikings get back to normal? For starters, the Vikings have a regular noontime Sunday start time. The Vikings are facing their own NFC North rival Detroit Lions, for the first of their two divisional games.
The Vikings roster is also getting closer to normal. There is no longer any kind of quarterback mystery or controversy. JJ McCarthy is finally healthy and back under center as the starter. The returns continue on the offensive side with potentially four out of the five original day one starters on the offensive line back and starting this Sunday. That might be an X factor of its own. How many starters play on the O-line for the Vikings? Secondly, how effective or well do they play? Having both starting tackles and guards back together should make a dramatic impact on how effective this offense will be potent offense performs. Part of that potency is starting running back Aaron Jones Sr, who is also back and healthy.
The whole defense needs a reboot after last week’s epic, abysmal performance. Maybe with the healthy return of linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel, he can provide some kind of spark? In fact, if there is a single player on offense or defense who is likely the biggest individual X factor, it would be Van Ginkel. His presence has seemed to jumpstart this defense since his arrival last year. If he can get back to the All-Pro level he showed last year, it will help rebalance the defense as a whole.
There is really no understandable reason why this loaded full of offensive weapons Vikings team isn’t averaging over 300 passing yards per game. Here are the Vikings’ pass catchers:
1. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson
2. Wide receiver Jordan Addison
3. Tight end TJ Hockenson
4. Wide receiver Adam Thielen
5. Wide receiver Jalen Nailor
This offense should be putting up “Madden” like or fantasy league type stats.
Visions for a Vikings Victory
The Vikings need to get some form of continuity and consistency from their offensive line. The offensive line needs to give first-year starter JJ McCarthy at least 2.5 seconds to survey and dissect the Lions defense. There are too many weapons for someone not to be open on nearly every passing play. The offensive line also needs to establish more of an ability to create space and block “downhill”.
The Vikings’ defense needs to get back to creating quarterback pressure with its pass rush. They also need to get Jared Goff confused pre-snap with their exotic looks and fronts. The defense needs to win the takeaway battle and maybe even create a touchdown of their own. The Vikings need to clean up the sloppy self-inflicted plays they have been making too many of thus far. There are too many penalties. Too many times players are missing assignments, alignments, tackles, etc…
X-Factors
For the offensive X-factor, that’s going to be Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has seemed to have his way with the Lions’ defense as he averages 120 yards per game in 10 career games against them. Including his career high of 223 yards back in 2022. On the defensive side, it’s going to be Andrew Van Ginkel. He needs to come out and play like his hair is on fire and help set the tone for this Vikings defense. He needs to have a big sack or a strip fumble, maybe another pick-six by jumping a screen route.
The Vikings will need all these things, as well as some lucky bounces to go their way against this dominating Detroit Lions team. This is the heart of the toughest schedule in the NFL. The Vikings have to look the eye of the storm in the face and find a way to summon the strength and courage to charge headfirst into the fire. Step one upset the Lions and remain undefeated in the North at 2-0. Final score 27- 24 Vikings.
