With 69 points scored between the Minnesota Vikings and the Rams on Thursday, NFL offense got what will probably be its marquee presentation of week 4. Fighting fire-with-fire, it was a wild one-possession game in the end. Here the Minnesota MVPs on offense.
The Minnesota Vikings and the Rams had a party for NFL fans on Thursday night that did not make old defensive coaches in the audience happy. And although the Vikings contributed 446 total yards and 31 points to the fireworks, it wasn’t even enough to send Vikings fans to bed feeling good.
Still, on the sideline watching a Ram offense led by quarterback Jared Goff’s prolific and perfectly rated performance, their Viking counterparts did wonders when they got their chance.
Offensive MVP vs. Rams
Adam Thielen, Wide Receiver
There are plenty that would give this rather moot award to Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins, or perhaps Thielen’s partner in fellow wide-out Stefon Diggs, but despite these two athlete’s superlative performances, it is for reasons exclusive of the stats that Thielen stands out.
After making a catch in the fourth quarter to keep a crucial Viking drive alive, Thielen took a knee to the head from a Rams defender and was instructed to leave the game for the evaluation of a possible concussion. Instead of conceding to that fairly appropriate command, Thielen blew his top and refused to come off the field.
Eight catches for 135 yards, a touchdown, and 16.9-yard average is enough for consideration here, but the competitive passion and will-to-win that Thielen showed throughout that crazy game is the clincher. It will be crucial to his team in the weeks to come.
Honorable Mention
Kirk Cousins, Quarterback
For those folks who think Cousins is underachieving as the Vikings QB, try this stat-hat on. Cousins is on pace for 5548 yards and 40 touchdowns in the 2018 season.
On Thursday, he threw for 422 yards, three TDs, and no picks. Every time it seemed like the game was right at the point of getting away from Minnesota, Cousins stuck a dart right on triple-20 for another of the 25 first downs the Minnesota Vikings ‘grinded’ out in the air.
His 8.4 yard per throw wasn’t Hollywood, but his performance, to the end, was a damn good story.
Honorable Mention
Stefon Diggs, Wide Receiver
Diggs’ 11 catches for 123 yards tell only part of the story of his efforts on Thursday. While the Rams defense clearly focused their defense on him, number 14 got loose, made plays, and kept his team moving forward.
Catching tipped balls and breaking sure tackles are not always a matter of luck. And ability and concentration do not make up everything for athletes’ success on the field. Diggs–and Thielen play in a ‘zone’ when the chips are down, and they did so again on Thursday night in a tough loss they gave all they had to avoid.