The Minnesota Vikings played well at times but lost a tough game to the Denver Broncos 23-13.
The focus was on the quarterbacks, as the Viking acquired Nick Mullens from the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday morning. He did not get into the game, so we got Sean Mannion in the first half and Kellen Mond in the second half
Both guys struggled throughout the game. Mannion went 9-of-16 for 121 yards and had the worst play of the game for the Vikings. He was strip-sacked and Baron Browning took it for what ended up being the game-winning touchdown.
When Kellen Mond took over in the second half, things didn’t get any better. He finished 10-of-17 for 102 yards while looking lost and uncomfortable in the pocket during the entire half.
The biggest takeaway regarding the quarterback position is it shouldn’t have either Mannion or Mond rostered as neither has proven that they can be a quality NFL quarterback.
Running back Ty Chandler looked like the best Viking on the field, showcasing his elite burst and speed with great vision. He finished the day with five rushes for 44 yards at a staggering 8.8 yards per rush.
The defense had a lot of ups and downs. Some of that was due to the injuries that the unit sustained. They also got caught over pursuing consistently, including on a reverse touchdown for Montrell Washington.
Myles Dorn was the highlight of the defense. He was all over the field on Saturday night with six tackles and two passes defended. With Metellus getting injured early on, Dorn might have earned himself a roster spot.
Now that the preseason is done, the Vikings look toward two dates: cut down day on August 30th and week one against the Green Bay Packers on September 11th.
Finishing winless in the preseason isn’t ideal, but the development of players and talent evaluation is more important. The Vikings have a lot of decisions to make over the next 72 hours and you can keep track of all those decisions here.