Well, that was just the Dallas game all over again. The Vikings again lost via a blowout 41-17. It was a rough day for Minnesota who just couldn’t get anything to go their way. To pair with some sloppy play, two injuries to the offensive line all but summed up the game. The Vikings are now looking at a three seed in the playoffs and would host the Giants as of right now. With that, let’s take a look at my Minnesota Vikings week 17 takeaways.
Just Not Their Day
Yeah, that’s an understatement. Things just couldn’t go the Vikings way at all. Two interceptions involved a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage and a pass that bounced off the hands of a receiver. Just nothing was able to go their way. A bad missed PI/holding (whatever you want to call it) and a taunting call on Jaire Alexander on the same play. The inability to make adjustments to get things going, just nothing seemed to go right for the Vikings, a case for them in their losses this year. Injuries on the offensive line also prompted issues such as delay of games and false starts penalties. It was a painfully frustrating game to watch.
Sloppy Play
Along with things not going their way, the Vikings’ play in general wasn’t great. In fact, it looked quite sloppy. Hockenson, Cook, and others had a case of the drops, struggling to make catches. The offensive line committed penalties and not just the backups. False starts, delay of games, too many men on the field, all of it was stuff that shouldn’t be happening in week 17. I don’t care if it was in Lambeau, and that backups were in. Your players shouldn’t be committing these. Also, what on Earth was that with first ten men on the field and then 12 men with defense. In one drive!? What was going on with Donatell and his defense. Speaking of Donatell…
Ed Donatell Needs To Be Fired After The Season Ends
Yeah, nothing new here. Look, I see why they haven’t fired him. It seems like O’Connell maybe saw he needed to fire him too late into the season. Yes, O’Connell won’t fire him this season it’s just too late to make that drastic of a move. Even a few weeks ago it still would have been bold (but necessary). If he doesn’t get fired after the season it’ll be a huge mistake. Unless we win the Super Bowl then he can stay, but anything else, he will need to go.
The defense again gave up 315 yards and allowed the Packers to be 7-12 on third down. They gave up 152 passing and 163 rushing. Not the worst Viking performance as of recent but still not great. Also, they gave up 27 points, which again is not bad, but not great. It simply needs to be done. You can’t week in and week out allow teams to just do whatever they want and move the ball at will, it is just unacceptable. Coach O’Connell, this offseason your first task is to fire Donatell and hire someone new, because the defense can’t be this bad in year two.
Injury Update
Backup center Austin Schlottmann has a fractured fibula and is likely out the rest of the season. This is not good news for the Vikings who are already dealing with injuries to starting center Garrett Bradbury. The Vikings are thin at center. This could become an issue if they make a deep run in the playoffs. Offensive tackle Brain O’Neil will undergo an MRI tomorrow on his calf.
Justin Jefferson Tracker
I’m going to be quick here. Jefferson obviously didn’t have a great game, as did the Vikings. Justin Jefferson had one reception for 15 yards. So, with that he now sits at 1,771. Jefferson now needs 193 yards to break Calvin Johnson’s single season record (1,964). To reach the 2,000-yard mark he will need 229 yards. After a bad performance it’s hard to see breaking either in a game, but it is against Chicago next week so who knows? The only thing is that it is at Soldier Field so the elements could cause a problem if it isn’t nice next week in the windy city.
A Look Ahead
The Vikings will face the Chicago Bears (3-13) at Soldier Field next Sunday. The Bears are coming off of a blowout loss to the Lions 41-10.
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