The Minnesota Vikings fought hard but struggled to finish the job against the Detroit Lions, losing by a score of 30-24 on Sunday.
The game was a wild one, as the Lions got up 7-0 quickly and were up 17-7 toward the end of the first half. The end of the first half saw Justin Jefferson catch a touchdown pass and K.J. Osborn did the same to start the second half to put them up 21-17. The Lions scored in short order and the Vikings never reclaimed the lead again.
Parsing out this game will be an interesting task next week, as Nick Mullens did throw for 411 yards and two touchdowns but four interceptions proved to be too much to overcome.
The studs and duds weren’t as obvious as you might think, but they still stood out.
Stud: WR Justin Jefferson
When you need to turn things around, you go to your best players to make it happen. In his two games back from his hamstring injury, Jefferson wasn’t making the kind of plays you would expect from him. On Sunday against the Lions, he did just that.
His touchdown at the end of the half was one of both brilliance and awareness. Jefferson saw Mullens scrambling out of the pocket and took himself upfield to make himself a target. That resulted in a touchdown and turned the tide of the game.
He almost made the play of the week on a third and 27 during the Vikings final drive, skying for a football to get the first down. Jefferson finished with six receptions for 141 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets.
Dud: Injuries
One of the biggest issues that has plagued the Vikings all season has been injuries. Their best players have missed significant time throughout the course of the year and it impacted them again on Sunday.
The Vikings lost both T.J. Hockenson and Jordan Addison early in the second half for the game with knee and ankle injuries respectively. It impacted the team on the following possession as they went three and out on a catch that Johnny Mundt couldn’t make.
Dud: Tackling
One of the reasons the Vikings defense has struggled so far on Sunday is because of tackling. The Lions have a really good unit on offense with skill position players who can make players miss in the open field. Those weapons have made the Vikings defenders look silly. Multiple first downs were handed to the Lions due to missed tackles. There were plenty of other reasons why the defense struggled, but you have to wrap up and bring down the ball carrier.
Stud: WR K.J. Osborn
With Jordan Addison out with an ankle injury, it didn’t take Osborn long to make an impact on offense. He caught a 47-yard deep post to get the Vikings down to the six yard line and caught a corner route on the next play to give the Vikings their first lead of the game. Osborn isn’t likely to be with the Vikings next season, but he’s making a real case for a big contract this offseason. Osborn finished the game with five catches for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Dud: QB Nick Mullens
When you have a backup quarterback, there are going to be peaks and valleys. With Mullens, it’s a real roller coaster. There was still plenty of good from Mullens, including some difficult throws. Unfortunately, he also threw four interceptions that were all due to poor ball placement. If he hits two of the three in stride, they go for touchdowns. The last one was the same but instead of true ball placement issues, Mullens threw a wobbly duck that ended up being intercepted instead.
Stud: RT David Quessenberry
It’s never easy when you have to replace one of your Pro Bowl offensive tackles. It’s a very difficult position to play overall. However, it’s a massive blessing to have your backup come in and play well in his place. Quessenberry wasn’t perfect, but he did a great job holding Aidan Hutchinson mostly in check and not allowing a lot of pressure on Mullens.
