Minnesota Vikings defensive MVP vs. Saints in Week 8

Despite losing by score of 30-20 to the New Orleans Saints, the Minnesota Vikings defense played very well on Sunday night, holding the Saints’ offense to 270 total yards and their star quarterback to a 47.0 rating for the game.

If ever a coach wants to show some film on how turnovers can destroy a great game plan and lead to defeat, they can rely often on Sunday’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium.

After the Saints took the opening drive down the field and made it 7-0, the Viking offense and defense started to jibe, with two touchdown drives and only another field goal against them into the final moments of the first half.

In fact, in three drives after their first score, the Minnesota defense allowed the Saints a mere 58 yards, intercepted a Brees pass on their fourth possession, and drove into the New Orleans end zone with a chance to make it a Minnesota 20-10 lead at the half.

But at the Saints’ 14-yard line, Vikings receiver Adam Thielen fumbled, the ball ended up (by return and penalty) at the Minnesota 18 yard-line, and two plays later, it was 17-13, Saints, heading into the half.

Unfortunate to say the least, in a game where fortune would not smile on the Minnesota offense, who also gave the Saints’ another six points with an interception return touchdown to put the game out of reach in the third quarter.

Defensive MVP vs. Saints

Mike Zimmer, Head Coach

With defensive starters Xavier Rhodes and Anthony Barr out, a rusty Everson Griffen, and an undrafted rookie corner on one of the league’s most dangerous wide-receivers, Zimmer drew up a brilliant game-plan to combat his counterpart and former colleague, Saints’ head coach and offensive coordinator Sean Payton, who coached with him on Bill Parcells’ Dallas Cowboys team of the 1990’s.

Zimmer kept Payton and Saints’ quarterback Drew Brees playing “small ball” for the first half, using several gimmick plays to no great success, and designing mismatches for running back Alvin Kamara.

It all looked good until the first point swing (Thielen’s fumble), and then the momentum seemed to turn to the Saints’ side of the field. In the second half, the Viking offense sputtered–then soon committed their second dramatic turnover, the pick-six.

That was it. “It” not being Mike Zimmer’s fault in the slightest.

The Vikings’ defense is not the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. It doesn’t shut you down. It’s meant to check opponents by limiting runs and big plays, perplexing quarterbacks by a sundry of passing down pressure packages, and forcing errors in execution by taking away options and space.

Unfortunately, Zimmer was forced out of his chess match by an abrupt game of checkers. Two big mistakes, and jump-jump-jump.

Honorable Mention:

Everson Griffen, Defensive End

Sure, other guys might deserve it, but let’s throw a bone to our big dog here.

If Griffen was or was not a factor in this game, he was an asset to his teammates. Perhaps even more so in the ugly loss. If he is past his emotional difficulties, having him as part of the team again can only help.

There is a very good chance that Mike Zimmer may someday very soon have to make a crucial decision about whether or not he wants Danielle Hunter to replace Griffen at the quarterback’s blind side. Hunter has proven to be one of the NFL’s most dangerous pass rushers, and the Vikings need him in his most vital role. At this point, he is also a superior player to Griffen.

If that happens, there is every indication that Everson Griffen will play his part, as he has in his eight seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, to the best of his ability and to the benefit of his team. That’s one of the reasons he’s a special player.