Minnesota Vikings offensive MVP vs. Cardinals in Week 6

Kirk Cousins had an uneven day with turnovers and batted balls, but a reliable receiver and his team’s running game proved unstoppable and gave the Minnesota Vikings a convincing 27-17 victory over the Cardinals.

In the first half of yesterday’s game against Arizona, there were indeed signs that Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was going to repeat his awful first-half performance of Week 3 (a 27-6 loss to Buffalo), on Sunday. With several batted balls, an interception off an inexcusable decision, and a sack-fumble instantly turning into seven points, Vikings fans were sweating another performance that didn’t seem to make sense.

However, the big difference came in the form of the Viking defense, which stifled the Cardinals’ rookie quarterback and shut down its running attack while the Minnesota offense got its act together.

It did. Pushing a stubborn running game, the Vikings traded small gains for big, and finished the contest with 195 yards on the ground, a 6.0 average. Meanwhile, for the game, Cousins found enough passing lanes open to a usual suspect in Minnesota’s passing offense. That was enough for a 27-10 third-quarter lead that never came into jeopardy.

Vikings Offensive MVP vs. Cardinals

Adam Thielen, Wide Receiver

If any player has taken advantage of the NFL’s rules concerning wide receivers of the last decade, it’s Vikings wideout Adam Thielen. Back in the ‘Day’, corners used to be able to mug and harass receivers all through their routes. In the modern NFL, wide receivers run free after the first five yards, and corners have to anticipate and react to their movements and pass patterns.

As Thielen proved again on Sunday afternoon, some of the most dangerous offensive weapons are receivers who are effective at the ‘top’ of their pass routes. They ‘push’ the corner with the direction of their bodies, turning their shoulders and feet, often giving the defender a ‘shake’ or ‘shimmy’ that move them away from the place that the ball will ultimately land.

Breaking down film on Thielen’s 11 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown on Sunday will show you just that. Thielen knows he has most corners playing ‘defense’ (having to react) against his ‘top’ move, and he sets them up perfectly throughout a game.

It’s a blend of body control and quickness into the last part of the pass pattern (for example, a short slant fake which turns to a goal-line fade) that sets Thielen apart. His height (‘6 2”), arm length and great hands make him almost impossible to beat to a well-placed pass.

Thielen’s technique and performance drove the Arizona Cardinals’ secondary nuts on Sunday just it has five other opponents this year. The undrafted guy from Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, has now become the first wide receiver in the Super Bowl Era to start a season with six straight 100-yard games.

Honorable Mention

Latavius Murray, Running Back

Does anyone else in the world consider the fact that the Minnesota Vikings front office chewed Murray down on the contract he signed in 2017 to be weak?

It’s true that Murray wasn’t Jim Brown out there, but he certainly gave Minnesota all he had in 2017 for every game of the season. He had a four-yard rushing average, eight touchdowns, and blasted off numerous big-time runs in key games.

Murray was worth the money he originally signed for.

But, if we know anything about front offices, it’s that they don’t care much about durability. They want it, and they want it now.

Okay. How about 24 carries for 155 yards and a 6.5 yard average on Sunday against Arizona? The Cards aren’t the stoutest bunch in the run defense game, but Murray’s performance gave everybody involved with the Vikings a not-so-familiar feeling that things may be getting better around here.

Here’s a stat. Against Buffalo, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, Murray had 15 rushes for 45 yards. But in the second half against the Eagles, Murray fought through tough holes for vital yardage to help seal the Viking victory in the game’s second half.

With Dalvin Cook disappointing Minnesota Vikings fans beyond measure this year, Latavius Murray’s healthy body, toughness, and devastating stiff-arm should be recognized.

And paid better.