The Minnesota Vikings pulled the rug from under the Detroit Lions in Week 3, 28-24, at the U.S. Bank Stadium. The Vikings scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to turn the tables on the Lions for their second win of the season. Here are some critical takeaways from the Vikings' Week 3 loss.
The Vikings rose to 2-1 after their win over the Lions and maintained their top spot in the NFC North. With this loss, the Lions fell to 1-2 and are now in last place in the division. The Vikings needed some time to get their offense going. Still, even as they tried to develop chemistry between quarterback Kirk Cousins and the receivers, they never allowed the game to slip away from them.
Here are our four takeaways from the Minnesota Vikings' Week 3 win vs. the Lions.
Are you not entertained? That’s a W. pic.twitter.com/83QUCaaqf3
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 25, 2022
4. Eric Kendricks is a defensive dynamo
On Sunday afternoon, linebacker Eric Kendricks was outstanding. He was everywhere on the field, preventing both the run and the throw. He finished with 11 tackles and two passes broken up. On the last drive, he was also outstanding in coverage. He intercepted a ball on an out route and prevented the Lions from gaining more yards.
This was not bad for a guy who just turned 30 years old. Keep in mind that he also played with a bum big toe, which was the reason he was classified as doubtful on the injury report coming into the game.
“Absolutely, I still got it,” Kendricks told Yahoo! Sports post-game. “Oh, man, the legs still feel great. I feel great.”
3. Vikings WRs Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn show up
Before this game, Adam Thielen had not seen much action for the Vikings. Despite being open repeatedly in the first two weeks, he only had seven total catches for 88 yards. In this game, Thielen had six catches for 61 yards and a score for the Vikings. He also forced many penalties on the Lions defense, which prolonged drives.
K.J. Osborn also did well. He was at his best when it counted the most, just as Thielen was employed better than he had been in the previous two games. Against a corner route, in fact, Osborn got wide open on former Vikings CB Mike Hughes and caught the game-winning score. He also went wide open on a wheel route that Cousins just missed because of the pressure in his face. The arrival of Osborn bodes really well for the Vikings.
Thielen's and Osborn's output came at a good moment because Justin Jefferson was ineffective for the second game in a row. All day, Lions CB Jeff Okudah dominated Jefferson.
Jefferson was a non-factor on the afternoon, with only three grabs for 14 yards. He also had three drops on the day. Man coverage has suffocated Jefferson in the previous two games, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts in the coming weeks.
2. Vikings RB Dalvin Cook was great but hurt
The Vikings understood they needed to get their run game going on Sunday. Though Detroit made it difficult, Minnesota found a better balance between the run and the pass.
Star RB Dalvin Cook had 96 yards and a touchdown on 17 touches before exiting the game with a shoulder injury. The Vikings rushed for 69 yards in the first half, including 51 yards from Cook. That topped the team's total of 62 yards in the previous game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Cook's biggest run of the day came in the second quarter when he went 13 yards on first down. The play aided Minnesota's drive, which culminated in a 1-yard Adam Thielen score to put the Vikings on the board.
1. Kirk Cousins is still a mixed bag
Kirk Cousins continues to be a conundrum for the Vikings. He went 24-for-41 for 260 yards and two touchdowns, but that does not paint the full picture. Cousins, in fact, struggled for extended periods of the game.
He hasn't really viewed the field well or made sound judgments. Cousins was noticeably making rash decisions due to the pressure, and he wasn't checking his hot routes. That was the case for the majority of this game. To be fair, he did have some moments where he was quite successful and made excellent selections.
Cousins was entirely redeemed by the last drive, though. He marched the Vikings 58 yards in three plays and fired the game-winning 28-yard touchdown pass to Osborn with only 45 seconds remaining. That sealed the win. That hasn't happened very frequently from Cousins, and it was wonderful to see him and coach Kevin O'Connell find a way to win the game.
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