MESSY BUT NECESSARY

VIKINGS 21

PANTHERS 13

When you start 0-3, especially a surprising 0-3, everything is bad. Everything. 

No aspect of the Vikings organization seems immune from fan anger right now. It's just a toxic fan culture right now.

The only thing that could start to cure this is a win, but the Vikings traveling to face the also winless Panthers felt scary. I cannot even imagine what would have happened if they had fallen to 0-4. 

Thankfully we will never have to find out. While not a season saving win, the Vikings did achieve a most necessary win and can at least breathe a tiny sigh of relief.

It wasn't without problems. It's hard to find a more ominous start to a game. The Vikings were inside the 5 on their opening drive, and then had a TD called back on a Josh Oliver holding penalty. It got worse, way worse, when Kirk Cousins made a legitimately terrible throw towards the front corner of the endzone, which was easily picked off by Sam Franklin, who darted 99 yards for a touchdown. Adding insult to injury was Kirk being decked on a block late in the return. 

This play seemed to sap the life out of the Vikings for a while. Carolina's offense, led by rookie Bryce Young (and some receiver named Thielen), drove inside our 10, and actually had 2 separate goal to go situations after a penalty, but we at least held them to 3. 

Sparked in part by some nice running by the debuting Cam Akers, the Vikings put together a drive that this time did end up in the endzone, on a short Jefferson TD catch. 

Really from this point on the Vikings controlled the game. They still had to tack on one more screw-up before halftime, as a potential scoring drive ended when (who else?) Ed Ingram was beaten badly, allowing Kirk's arm to be hit mid-throw, creating an easy jump ball interception. This also led to a field goal, naturally a career long one for Carolina's kicker. One wonders even after escaping with the win why Ingram is still being allowed to ruin drives. 

There wasn't a lot of apparent energy or life in the Vikings into the 3rd quarter. As the Panthers were methodically driving down the field on us late in the quarter, I won't say the Q-word was taking place, but it felt that way.

But sometimes all it takes is one big play to swing momentum for a game, and maybe even a season. Brian Flores sent Harrison Smith on a blitz, and boy did it work. Young tried to spin away from Smith, but instead had the ball knocked out. And for once in a season that to this point had seen all the bounces and breaks go the other way, we got the bounce...right up to DJ Wonnum, who raced 51 yards for a huge score, probably at least a 10 point swing, which gave us the lead. 

It's far too early to know if this play will have greater meaning on the season, but to this point it is the play of the year. 

You could tell that finally having something go their way, and finally getting a big break, gave the team a jolt of life. The defense forced punts on the next 2 drives. In between the Vikings drove to another score, as Kirk took advantage of a free play and fired a dart to Jefferson for his 2nd of the day. 

Now, naturally, the Vikings still insisted on making getting across the finish line a challenge. Up 8, we go 3 and out, and then start letting Young drive down the field on us. The Panthers had a 1st and goal and it seemed destined to be a tie game soon. But again, the pass rush got home and made a difference. And again it was Harrison Smith, dropping Young on 2nd down and then again on 4th down to seal the elusive first win. 

There is no delusion about the level of opponent. The Panthers aren't good. But it was still important to have the Vikings defense be the driving force in a win. They've been a complimentary piece at times (more often an accomplice), but this might be the first time in the KOC era that I feel like the defense.was THE reason we won.

Smith had a career best type of game. Marcus Davenport finally saw major action and also made major impact. Wonnum had the TD and had a big pass block that almost became a pick six. I think that just finally having a game in which they have some success will do a lot for this team. 

Ironically, the win comes during one of Kirk's worst games in a long time. The run game was effective again though, with Mattison (just shy of 100 yards again) and Akers making a nice pairing.

It wasn't an artful win, but you gotta start somewhere. A loss puts the nail in already. You still have the Chiefs and 49ers before October ends, but those are future worries. It's okay to enjoy this one now, a win that wasn't a classic, but which was absolutely necessary.