The next morning doesn’t feel any better after the Minnesota Vikings lost in pathetic fashion by a score of 40-3 to the Dallas Cowboys. They looked putrid and couldn’t move the ball at all.
The defense wasn’t any better, as they allowed over 450 yards and the Cowboys were dominant in the trenches.
As we reflect back on Sunday’s game, there are a lot of takeaways, including some that are less than favorable.
The Vikings miss Dalvin Tomlinson badly
The Vikings were dominated in the trenches by the Cowboys on both sides and it was beyond ugly. The defensive line was abused more so than they had been the entire season. The Cowboys were able to move them with ease and run the ball right down their throat. It was clear more so than ever that they need Dalvin Tomlinson back. Harrison Phillips did what he could but they need another consistent force in the middle.
The offensive line couldn't adjust
The Vikings’ offensive line was atrocious on Sunday. They allowed the Cowboys’ defense to get seven sacks and pressure Kirk Cousins on 68% of dropbacks, a career-high for the Vikings quarterback. The offense didn’t adjust enough to counteract the pass rush. They could have tried some chip blocks, shorter concepts and misdirection to keep them thinking, but we didn’t see enough of that. Really disappointing to see.
T.J. Hockenson is going to be a focus of this offense
The Vikings’ offense wasn’t great and Hockenson’s performance wasn’t anything to write home about either, but it is very noteworthy that he received nine targets on his five receptions for 34 yards. It’s clear already that Kirk Cousins has already developed a connection with Hockenson and his skillset is a perfect addition to this offense.
Andrew Booth Jr. is still a work in progress
The Vikings second-round pick got his first-ever start on Sunday afternoon and it didn’t go great. The Cowboy picked on him and they were able to take advantage. On eight targets, Booth Jr. allowed seven receptions for 85 yards. He was close to being in position on a couple of plays, but his reaction time is just not up to par right now. He will have an easier matchup this upcoming week against the New England Patriots, but it hasn’t been a great start.
Adam Thielen looks healthier
After being beaten up over the course of this season with both ankle and knee injuries, Thielen had looked slow and that he was starting to creep up on the end of his career. Against the Cowboys, he finally looks healthier. Thielen was moving much better and looked like his speed was nearly back to top speed. This is a great sign for the Vikings moving forward.
Kevin O'Connell faces some real adversity
The Vikings’ new head coach has had a pretty easy season in regard to adversity. There has been a lot of injury luck and things have fallen their way for most of the season. On Sunday against the Cowboys, everything went pear-shaped and they didn’t play well at all. This is what can separate good head coaches from bad ones. How will O’Connell handle things? Will the Vikings respond well off of the embarrassing loss or will things begin to spiral? This is a pivotal moment in the early portions of the O’Connell tenure.
