Overall Impression
This was slated to be one of the most difficult games of the 2017 season for the Minnesota Vikings. Going on the road to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers without quarterback Sam Bradford was a challenging task, but one the team approached head-on.
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
Tons of penalties, poor pass protection, and mistakes on defense made this a game that never seemed close enough to be competitive. Case Keenum did his best, but he doesn’t offer the same kind of accuracy that Bradford offers.
Watching Xavier Rhodes against Antonio Brown was the highlight of the day. Seeing these two high-caliber players challenging each other was amazingly fun.
Other good news is that this is a game that few gave the Vikings a chance of winning. And fans of Minnesota can always wonder if the contest would have had a different feel if Sam Bradford was at the reins on offense.
Pittsburgh’s speed and swarming defense just proved to be far too much for Minnesota to handle. Players seemed visibly frustrated, which could have a lot to do with why there were so many penalties called against the Vikings in this contest.
Next: Could Teddy Bridgewater return soon?
There is more hope that the Minnesota Vikings will be able to rebound in Week 3 of the NFL season when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at U.S. Bank Stadium and have a chance to reflect and learn from this disappointing game.