A Most Dangerous Offense

Vikings 42

Lions 30

For years we have seen great Vikings defenses that have to carry average to sometimes bad Vikings offenses.

But to have a high powered machine of an offense that can bail out a struggling defense like this? Well this is something we haven't seen since at least 2009.

How is that Bears game just 3 weeks ago? 

The Vikings of September have evolved into the Vikings of October, and the Vikings of October demolish you with their relentless air strike offense. And then they suck the life out of you with their dynamic running game. You can't stop them.

The newest biggest game of the season wasn't a total must win, but a loss would have kind of reshaped what this season could be. With the refs and an easy schedule, the Packers already have an edge in the north. You couldn't really afford a 3rd division loss, and to fall 2 games back of Green Bay. It would have made a wild card the much more realistic path to the playoffs.

The only thing that kind of worried me about this game was, would the refs spend the day doing one long makeup to Detroit for that MNF bullshit. And indeed, the first half largely felt that way. The Lions best offensive weapon was the yellow flag. A few of the calls were not wrong, like a couple reckless roughing the passer calls, but there was a terrible DPI on Rhodes, and several defensive holdings that FOX conveniently did not show replays of (I guess we'll take the refs word for it🙄). The Lions put one in right before the half for their 3rd touchdown.

Luckily the Vikings offensive juggernaut was firing on all cylinders. Cousins was throwing darts all over the field. His 1st TD to Thielen was just a damn laser. 

Thielen hurt his hammy on the play and never returned, but the offense didn't miss a beat. Those Thielen passes got spread around. Obviously Diggs got his, but the tight ends were big factors, and Bisi Johnson stepped up. And of course Dalvin Cook did Dalvin Cook things. The Vikings had their own 21 points at halftime.

The 2nd half was more of the same, on both sides really, but with far less officiating interference. The juggernaut took the 2nd half kickoff, went right down the field, and retook the lead, on a TD flip to of all people CJ Ham.

The defense settled down and got a couple stops(the refs LET them). Lions did get a field goal, but no big deal.

It did get a little hairy again for a while. A Vikings drive came up short when Diggs flat out dropped a sure touchdown, then Dan Bailey missed his 1st field goal in weeks. 

This is the moment where the Vikings fortunes turn. Except they didn't. The next Lions drive ended when Eric Kendricks made a huge pass breakup on 4th and short. 

No more field goal tries after that. The Vikings went down and got a Kyle Rudoloh touchdown to pretty much ice the game. 

Well maybe not so fast. I think Zimmer screwed up here. He went to a prevent defense....WAY too early. The Lions drive started with like 7 minutes left. Way too soon to call off the dogs. Stafford gashed us all the way down the field for a touchdown.

With 3 minutes left, all 3 timeouts, and the 2 minute warning, the Vikings offense still had work to do.

So this is where the offense goes super conservative, does a few safe runs, and punts, and sweats out a frantic finish?

Pff! Not the October Vikings. After one Dalvin run, Kirk bootlegged out, and fired an absolute bomb deep to Diggs, who hauls it in, and nearly scores. Cook did score a couple plays later and that was the ballgame.

What an identity flip this team has had. I think it all starts with the offensive line. That unit needed time to gel, and boy have they. Cousins is being given time to throw. He is being given time to throw even from the pocket. He isn't being hassled on every snap, and he is able to be that really good quarterback we knew he could be. It doesn't mean he's never going to lose again or have a bad game, but now we know with certainty that if Kirk has good protection, he can be great.

And I loved how many different guys were used today. The fact that Thielen's absence was rendered an afterthought is amazing.

Now, okay, the defense. Yes, they had an overall bad day. I'll give them a bit of a break on a couple fronts. One, the ref show in the first half was at least somewhat out of their hands.

And two, they did better in the 2nd half. They only gave up 3 points in the 2nd half before that ill-timed prevent defense drive, and that was more on coaching. They only sacked Stafford once, which was disappointing, and they did have some wide open receivers out there. Xavier Rhodes had a rough day. 

But give some credit to Detroit. If not for that rigged MNF game they would have started the day a first place team. They gave KC all they could handle. They're a legit good team, and more desperate too.

So it's a good win. And now we turn to the Thursday night game against the Redskins. I cannot fathom the Vikings losing this game. The Redskins are just pitiful. I know it's not totally impossible, but the Vikings should win, and do so easily, and move to 6-2. 

I think it's okay to start dreaming of a division title and maybe a playoff game at the purple palace. This offense has hit its stride. I think it can be the match for any team. The defense can still dominate at home, and make big plays on the road. The schedule seems to get less imposing by the week.

We comin!