The Minnesota Vikings have been on a roll this season and they have played several impressive games in rolling to a 7-2 record. However, while they were able to come away with a 12-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10, that victory was not one of their masterpieces.
The Vikings were unable to get into the end zone as they had to rely on four field goals by replacement placekicker John Parker Romo for all of their scoring. Additionally, the Vikings had to contend with one of quarterback Sam Darnold's worst games. He threw three interceptions — all deep in Jacksonville territory — and that kept the offense from seizing control of the game.
The Vikings became the first team to win a game with no touchdowns and 3 or more turnovers since 2006. That's not the form that either head coach Kevin O'Connell or Darnold wants to see from the Vikings in any other game this season, but at least they got the victory.
Romo was signed due to rookie PK Will Reichard's quad injury, and he opened the scoring with a 45-yard field goal on Minnesota's first possession of the game. He would add three more field goals from distances of 33, 34 and 29 yards after the Jaguars had taken a 7-3 lead.
Jacksonville's touchdown came on a 1-yard run by QB Mac Jones in the first quarter. However, the Minnesota defense stiffened after that and stifled the Jacksonville offense.
Darnold struggled with Jacksonville's pass coverage
The Vikings offense has thrived throughout the majority of the season as Darnold has combined accuracy, timing and escapability to lead the team. However, he struggled against the Jaguars when it came time to take control on the scoreboard.
Darnold completed 24 of 38 passes for 241 yards with 3 interceptions, and he blamed himself for the team's offensive struggles. “I've got to do a lot better job to take care of football,” Darnold said. “I think that’s obvious.”
Running back Aaron Jones had a solid game with 17 carries for 88 yards and he also caught 2 passes for 13 yards.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson caught 8 passes for 72 yards, but Justin Jefferson faced double coverage throughout and was held to 5 receptions for 48 yards.
While the Minnesota offense struggled, the defense stood up with 3 fourth-quarter takeaways. Defensive lineman Harrison Phillips recovered a Jones fumble, while Byron Murphy and Cam Bynum both delivered interceptions.
Linebacker Blake Cashman returned from a 3-game absence due to turf toe and he came through with 5 tackles, 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss and 2 quarterback hits. Ivan Pace and Andrew Van Ginkel also recorded sacks for the Vikings.
Minnesota will attempt to build a three-game winning streak in Week 11 against the Tennessee Titans, while the Jaguars face a tough assignment against the Detroit Lions.
Follow Us
Subscribe
