EKSTROM: Balanced Offense Complements Fierce Defense in Vikings’ 24-10 Win

EKSTROM: Balanced Offense Complements Fierce Defense in Vikings’ 24-10 Win

Oct 4, 2016 | Cold Omaha

Written By Sam Ekstrom (ColdOmaha.com)
Photo Credit: Kyle Hansen

As usual, the Minnesota Vikings’ defense was the A-topic.

It pressured — though didn’t sack — Eli Manning for much of the night, but if Manning had been as willing to hold the ball as long as the Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton did the week prior, the Vikings would have likely recorded numerous takedowns of the veteran passer. The unit also held star wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., to a career-low 23 yards on three catches – none of which came in the second half. New York’s tremendous trio of Beckham, Victor Cruz and Sterling Shepard combined for 25 targets and just 103 yards, a paltry 4.1 yards per attempt in their direction.

Really, if not for a rare ragged effort on a Giants’ screen play that went for 67 yards, New York may not have scored a touchdown in the game.

Indeed, it was the defense’s night, but they were also aided by the most even-keeled offensive gameplan we’ve seen yet on this team that continues to build momentum despite the long-term absence of three offensive starters.

For the first time all year, the Vikings actually jumped out to an early lead behind quarterback Sam Bradford, who threw for 262 yards on the night. Having trailed 10-0, 7-0 and 10-0 again at junctures of their first three games, respectively, playing from in front seemed to put this team in the driver’s seat for virtually the entire night.

The opening touchdown drive began with sparkplug Cordarrelle Patterson, who not only created a special teams turnover to get the ball rolling, but took a quick pass down the right sideline for 21 yards on the first play of the series. A third down conversion to Jerick McKinnon and a penalty in the end zone got the Vikings to the 1-yard line, where Matt Asiata punched it in. It was that type of wealth-spreading that defined the Vikings’ 24-point night – the most points they’d generated on offense all season.

“I think when you’re playing with a lead it allows you to stay a little bit more balance as opposed to when you fall behind, especially if you’re behind in the second half,” Bradford said after the game. “It turns into more of a throwing game. The defense kind of knows what’s coming. Playing with a lead is always nice because you can keep them a little bit more off balance.”

The running game had its best showing of the season. While outputs of 65, 30 and 58 yards left nowhere to go but up, Minnesota cranked out 101 yards on the ground; 85 coming from McKinnon, who scored the daggering touchdown in the fourth quarter. The ground game wasn’t sparkling by any stretch, as head coach Mike Zimmer pointed out after the game, but it was more effective than the team’s 3.2 yards per carry reflects, considering Minnesota went to a conservative, clock-killing offense in the fourth quarter. For the second time in as many weeks, McKinnon had a 6 ypc average decimated down the stretch, which says something positive about his early-game effectiveness. At one juncture he had 60 yards on 10 carries with a number of slippery escape acts mixed in.

“Baby steps turn into giant steps,” said suddenly-oft-used swingman Jeremiah Sirles, who played at right tackle in place of an injured Andre Smith. “Before we know it we had a 100-yard game today. So now we need to keep setting the bar higher and higher.”

The Vikings used six different ball carriers – including a scrambling Bradford on a couple occasions – and nine different receivers. Each back received at least three carries and all three active tight ends had a catch.

Bradford kept the bulk of his passes short but mixed in some deep shots that were highly successful. Charles Johnson hauled in catches of 30 and 40 yards, his first meaningful contributions of the regular season, and Adam Thielen would have caught another bomb had he not been interfered with (though it incorrectly wasn’t called).

On third downs, Bradford was surgical in the second half after a slow start in that category. All eight of the Vikings’ third-down conversions came through the air, including Bradford’s lone touchdown pass to Kyle Rudolph. He twice converted multiple third down passes on second-half drives to extend possessions and keep the ball away from the Giants, giving Minnesota a decisive 11-minute advantage in time of possession for the game.

There were a handful of throws Bradford would like to have back, including a notable third-and-9 overthrow of Stefon Diggs, but his comfort level in the pocket looked as good as ever. ”This offense, like I said, we’ve had to adapt in a lot of things,” said Zimmer after the game. “[Bradford]’s done a great job of studying, learning terminology, number one. … Number two, he’s been really gritty in the ball games.”

There was nothing flashy about the Vikings’ offense Monday night, though they may have received the most energy from “Flash.” Patterson, whose nickname comes from his tendency to make scintillating plays, put together a blue-collar performance that seemed to arise from his willingness to play hard on special teams as a gunner.

The efficacy of Patterson may be the victory’s most uplifting element. The former first-round pick caught five balls for 38 yards, one of which was a 21-yard burst, another a gritty 4-yard catch in traffic to gain a first down. He also drew a pass interference flag on Janoris Jenkins to put the ball at the 1-yard line. “I talked to him during the week,” Zimmer said. “I told him, ‘We’re going to get you in the game plan. Now it’s up to you what you do with it. It’s up to you.’ He responded well. He keeps working hard.

“I think it’s good for guys to see,” Zimmer continued. “If you work hard, good things come. You keep fighting, you keep working and you get your opportunity and you take advantage of it.”

To sum it up, the Vikings’ offensive approach against New York was refreshing. It catered to its players skillsets. Whether it was getting Patterson the ball at or behind the line of scrimmage, making sure McKinnon caught the ball in space a few times or utilizing Diggs’ sharp route-running, Norv Turner and Co. constructed a winning formula that married the passing game and running game nicely. The burden fell on no one person’s shoulders to carry the load, which provides the ultimate reinforcement that there can be abundant life without Adrian Peterson.