The Vikings’ weekend got off to a lousy start when reports surfaced that contract negotiations with superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson had been tabled. Things only got worse from there.
Opening the season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at U.S. Bank Stadium, and set to face a tough road game four days later against NFC champion Philadelphia, the Vikings made far too many mistakes in a 20-17 loss to the Bucs.
The Vikings’ issues were easy to pinpoint. Minnesota turned over the ball three times in the opening half with quarterback Kirk Cousins having a hand in each (two fumbles, one interception).
The Vikings also were penalized six times for 45 yards, including a costly offsides call on rookie Jay Ward that turned a 31-yard field goal by the Bucs into a first down. Instead of taking a 13-10 lead, Tampa Bay scored a touchdown three plays later on Baker Mayfield’s 7-yard pass to Trey Palmer.
Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell called it a “disappointing start to our season,” later adding, “our guys are a football team that has handled adversity before, and we’re going to get a great opportunity to do that this week with a heck of a challenge going on a short week to a very good football team’s place.”
A year ago, the Vikings were coming of an impressive 23-7 Week 1 win over the Packers at U.S. Bank Stadium, when they went to Philadelphia in Week 2 to play a Monday night game. The Eagles cruised to a 24-7 victory, but the Vikings lost only three more regular-season games in a year that was filled with good fortune. At least until the playoffs arrived.
The Vikings would be wise to assume that fortune isn’t going to be their ally this time. Especially not going against an Eagles team that went into New England and won its opener, 25-20, on Sunday.
O’Connell isn’t likely to get much sleep as he has plenty of things to correct by Thursday. Some involve better execution, but O’Connell also needs to be sharper with his playcalling. What might have been most surprising about Sunday’s loss was the Vikings didn’t appear completely prepared for the game.
The Buccaneers arrived as defending NFC South champions, but that was misleading. Tampa Bay finished 8-9 in a putrid division and then Tom Brady retired. That left Baker Mayfield as the Bucs’ quarterback facing a new-look Vikings defense under coordinator Brian Flores.
The Vikings held a 10-3 lead — and Flores’ aggressive scheme was working well — when the Bucs got their first touchdown late in the first half on Mayfield’s 28-yard pass to Mike Evans. The Bucs went ahead after Ward’s crucial penalty on their following drive to open the third quarter.
But this loss wasn’t on the defense. Blame belonged to an offense that is supposed to be the Vikings’ strength but instead self-destructed too often. The Vikings went three-and-out on six of 11 drives, including the final two of the game.
After a three-and-out to open the game, the Vikings moved from their own 13 to the Bucs’ 26-yard line, when Cousins fumbled a snap and the Bucs recovered at their own 25. The Vikings ran only three plays on their next drive when Cousins was sacked by safety Antoine Winfield Jr. and fumbled. Winfield recovered at the Vikings 18 and Tampa Bay got three points out of the miscue.
Cousins had the Vikings at the Tampa Bay 13 with 23 seconds left in the second quarter and the score tied at 10. This time he threw a pass slightly behind K.J. Osborn at the Bucs 2 and safety Christian Izien ripped it out of Osborn’s hands.
“I didn’t mind the decision,” O’Connell said. “We’ll take a look at it, whether the location could have been better. But ultimately, I want him to be aggressive. We fit that ball in that window and score, everybody thinks it’s a great execution, and that’s what this league is against good defenses.”
The Vikings had 369 yards of total offense to 242 yards by the Buccaneers, but Minnesota was outgained 73 yards to 41 on the ground and leading-rusher Alexander Mattison only accumulated 34 yards on 11 carries. Ty Chandler, who had been expected to be in a rotation with Mattison, gained no yards on three carries.
As for Jefferson, he increased the price that the Vikings will eventually have to pay for his services. He has two years remaining on his rookie contract, so there will be time to get a deal done after the season. The question is why the Vikings would want to wait, when Jefferson will get more expensive by the game? Also, if the deal didn’t get done now, is there legitimate concern about the future?
Jefferson finished Sunday with nine receptions for 150 yards, a 16.7-yard average, but caught only two passes for 12 yards as the Vikings ran 22 of their 63 plays and had only three possessions in the final two quarters.
“At the end of the day, all I can do is play football,” Jefferson told reporters after the loss. “And that’s what I continue to do. I know my team. My team doesn’t care about the contract, you know? And I don’t either. I just want to be here for my teammates, play for my teammates and of course get these wins.”
If the Vikings don’t get that first win on Thursday night, the feel-good story that surrounded last season’s team will be a distant memory.
Judd Zulgad is co-host of the Purple Daily Podcast and Mackey & Judd podcast at www.skornorth.com
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