ASCENDING INTO THE BYE

VIKINGS 23

SAINTS 13

I had high hopes coming into this Vikings season. I picked them to win the north, after all. But I never thought the Vikings would hit the bye week at 5-0. I thought 3-2 would be a solid start. Instead, they remain one of only 3 undefeated teams left (49ers and Chiefs the others).

The latest victim: the New Orleans Saints. The latest venue: the Superdome, site of the Vikings' last playoff win and site of the single greatest injustice this franchise has ever suffered.

Vikings fans have been perpetually mad so far this year, fretting over the offense being inconsistent to put it mildly. But there was tangible progress made in that Dolphins game last week. Kyler Murray had a terrific 4th quarter, and his positive momentum carried over to this game.

Murray was incredibly sharp for much of this game, but especially early on. He hit on his 1st 12 passes and led two good drives. Problem is that the Vikings only got 3 points out of them. Following a Will Reichard field goal, they were poised to punch one in for six, but Aaron Jones fumbled the ball away in the redzone.

The Saints put together what wound up being their only good drive of the day to go up 7-3. The Vikings offense after the fumble went cold with a couple 3 and outs, but were able to sneak out another field goal before the half. They were basically controlling the game, yet trailed.

After halftime, it was mostly domination, aside from one play. Rookie Jake Golday punched the ball out on the half-opening kick return, and we got the ball. Then, after a goofy failed flea flicker to Gavin Bartholomew, Murray had his 1st big run of the season and a few plays later fired a pinpoint perfect pass to Justin Jefferson in the back corner of the endzone. The Vikings touchdown drought, which had extended to the 1st half in Tampa, was over.

The defense quickly turned over Tyler Shough on a Byron Murphy interception, but then the offense made another huge blunder. Myles Price fumbled on a screen pass, and the ball was picked up and ran back 87 yards for a Saints touchdown to give them the lead. 

Oh wait, they didn't get the lead, cause old friend Daniel Carlson shanked the PAT. Somewhere, Mike Zimmer was smiling. And the game stayed tied.

I wasn't that worried. The Vikings offense was moving the ball, and the Saints offense was no threat anymore. The Vikings have shown a knack for good response drives this year and did so again. Murray hit a big pass. Jones hit a big run. And soon, our old workhorse was barreling into the endzone for a score.

The Vikings iced the game the next drive with another long Reichard field goal, on a drive nearly ruined by a foolish Jefferson throwback pass that was almost picked.

The Vikings' stellar defense was just smothering the whole 2nd half. The Saints only had 4 1st downs after halftime, and never even got close to scoring range. Hell, they only managed 142 yards total for the game, and this is an offense that had at least been able to put up points this season. Shough didn't even reach 100. And the Vikings only got 1 sack, so this was kostly done through coverage and ball control. 

The offense had its best game of the season even without 2/5 of the starting OL, without Jordan Addison, Jordan Mason, and after 1 catch today, TJ Hockenson. 

Major credit to Murray, who really showed the kind of QB I was hoping we would get. The ball was coming out quick, and to everybody (11 different guys caught passes), and he RAN! He had the aforementioned big run, but also picked up a couple of 3rd down conversions with his legs, and a couple of significant pass plays happened cause of his in-pocket mobility. And it was a clean game by him, with no turnovers.

If this is the Murray we get going forward, the Vikings are a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Cause this defense and special teams are elite.

So the bye arrives with the Vikings undefeated, TWO up in the north, and with presumably better health coming. It's time to start dreaming of what this season could be.