Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
Go-for-it Vikings see positive results
Minneapolis — With their window tightening for playoff contention, the Minnesota Vikings finally won a close game against a winning team by simply letting loose.
By going for it instead of settling for the safer options of kicking and throwing deep to their star wide receivers, the Vikings delivered a signature victory that just might portend a more aggressive approach on offense down the stretch.
“If we get an opportunity to win the game, then we’re going to try to win the game,” coach Mike Zimmer said Monday, the day after beating the Los Angeles Chargers, 27-20.
Zimmer kept the offense on the field on fourth down twice Sunday. From the 1-yard line late in the third quarter, Kirk Cousins connected with tight end Tyler Conklin for their second touchdown of the afternoon and a 20-17 lead.
Then on fourth-and-2 from the Chargers 36, just before the 2-minute warning, Dalvin Cook went for 4 yards around the right edge on a toss sweep that allowed the Vikings to run out the clock.
“I thought both fourth down calls were great. They hit,” Cousins said.
The game-sealing run by Cook was preceded by an 18-yard completion to Adam Thielen, the kind of upfield push that was lacking the previous two games when the Vikings (4-5) wasted fourth-quarter leads and lost to both Dallas and Baltimore.
Cousins was especially productive when targeting Justin Jefferson, who had two acrobatic 27-yard receptions.
WHAT’S WORKING
The special teams units that failed the Vikings so frequently last year and made several noticeable mistakes in the first half of this season have turned it around. Dede Westbrook had a 45yard punt return Sunday, the second longest in the NFL this season. With 69 yards on three attempts, Westbrook
matched Minnesota’s punt return yardage total for the entire 2020 season. Greg Joseph is also 6 for 6 on field goals and 8 for 8 on extra points over the past three games.
WHAT NEEDS HELP
Though the Vikings were effective when they sent extra pass rushers on Justin Herbert and rookie safety Camryn Bynum again played well in Harrison Smith’s place, the secondary has been in a precarious position without cornerback Patrick Peterson for the past three games.
INJURY REPORT
With injuries and quarantines, the Vikings were down seven starters (five on defense) Sunday from the lineup they began training camp with. They’ve been expecting Peterson (hamstring) to return this week. Smith and center Garrett Bradbury have a chance to come back from COVID-19 protocol. Linebacker Anthony Barr (knee) is dealing with more of a wearand-tear injury and could return against Green Bay.