Overall impression from Vikings week 14
The one biggest thought that can come to mind is that the Minnesota Vikings can’t be considered any kind of playoff contenders if this is the kind of football they bring to the table each week.
More from The Viking Age
- 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history
- Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
- Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
- 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
- Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022
Still, getting the win was important for Minnesota. Defeating the Jaguars seemed like something that should have been academic, but struggles on offense and some lapses in defense kept Jacksonville in the game and made it far more competitive than it likely should have been.
It was very encouraging to see Sam Bradford with time to pass thanks to the offensive line. Plus, Adam Thielen continued to be an absolute monster for the Vikings, having another game with over 100 yards receiving.
On the down side, the goal line still seems to be a major issue for Minnesota with very few answers. The team stalls in a big way when they reach the red zone or even on 3rd down.
Defensively, it was mental errors where the problems were during the game. However, Minnesota’s dominant pass rush continually made Bortles’ day hard, sacking the Jacksonville quarterback 4 times.
Next: Chad Greenway named Vikings Community Man of the Year
Overall, a win is a win, but this one wasn’t pretty. Still, it keeps Minnesota in the playoff picture at 7-6 and makes them relevant despite all their injuries and other issues. Next week, the Minnesota Vikings will host the Indianapolis Colts, where they will continue to play with their backs against the wall.