The Minnesota Vikings suffered their most glaring struggles of the season on offense against the New York Jets in London, producing just 37 yards and two first downs on seven possessions from late in the second quarter through late in the fourth.
The Vikings had two turnovers and just one offensive touchdown in a 23-17 win, but the defense and kicker did their job in another sign of what makes the undefeated Vikings a dangerous team. They have enough power in each phase, with strategic push from the coaching staff, to make up for the inevitable setbacks that come along the way.
Sam Darnold had his worst performance in five games: 179 yards on 14-of-31 passing with one interception, one lost fumble and four fumbles. Running back Aaron Jones was sidelined after the first half with a hip injury.
But the Vikings pulled off a 23-17 victory by chasing down Aaron Rodgers for three interceptions, three tackles for loss and a 54.9 passer rating, the ninth-worst of his illustrious 20-year career in another masterpiece directed by defensive coordinator Brian Flores. Will Reichard, still perfect in his rookie season, had field goals of 54 and 53 yards on his three carries, and Ryan Wright averaged 46.3 yards on four kickoffs.
“Especially credit to our defense, Flo and those guys. We needed them today. It wasn’t good enough by our standards on offense, and moments like this are when we lean on a lot of the things our organization is built on: adversity, dealing with adversity together, not giving up, all three sides finding a way to come together and win a football game,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “What I told our team is there’s going to be days like this, and when there’s days like this, good football teams are going to find a way to compete with a future Hall of Fame quarterback in tough situations.”
With Darnold stepping into the big spot, Jones becoming the primary ball carrier, Reichard taking the pressure off the long kicks in tight games, and Flores bringing in five starters and a few other regulars on defense, the Vikings have a significant amount of new players for a team with such a good mix.
“I think there’s a lot of guys who are still hungry, a lot of guys who have faced a lot of adversity. We have guys who were late picks, third-rounders, whatever, undrafted, guys who are still in prove-it-yourself mode, and I feel like that’s how I’ve fed myself my whole life,” cornerback Jonathan Greenard said. “This whole team is infused with that mindset.”
What’s Working
The Vikings allowed just one play of more than 18 yards against Rodgers and the Jets, a 25-yard completion to linebacker Tyler Conklin in the second quarter. The ability to not only create pressure and force offenses but also minimize long plays is a tried-and-true formula for success on defense.
What Needs Help
Darnold faced a tough defense against the Jets, but the Vikings averaged a season-low 3.83 yards per play. Finding more ways to move the chains consistently will be on the off-week to-do list for O’Connell and his staff.
Stock
Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel had a second interception return for a touchdown, a rare touchdown against Rodgers that he made by faking a run to the sideline and then retreating into an area where he expected the four-time NFL Player of the Year to make a quick throw with two breakaways headed his way.
Stock drops
Quarterback Ty Chandler had 39 total yards on 16 touches to save Jones. He averaged 5 yards per touch last season.
Key Numbers
Plus-4 — The Vikings’ loss margin through five games, after recording minus-12 last season.
Injury Report
Fortunately for Jones, who injured his right hip, the week off came to allow for more recovery time. O’Connell said he expects the injury to be short-term. The only other player who didn’t finish the game was backup CB Akayleb Evans, who played only on special teams. He injured his left hip flexor. … TE T.J. Hockenson has returned to practice after rehabbing his right knee and is on track to make his debut in the coming weeks.
The Vikings are entering their earliest off-week since their 2016 schedule also had a break in Week 6. That was also the last time they started 5-0, only to lose their next four games and finish 8-8. They host NFC North champion Detroit on Oct. 20, another key game in the title race after winning first at Green Bay in Week 4. All four NFC North teams have winning records.