The Vikings took their first loss of the season in Week 8 against the Lions, and that made for a good time to check in on a familiar group of former Minnesota players now making their way with other teams around the league.
Some of those ex-Vikings were right in the middle of the action. Kirk Cousins turned in the cleanest passing line of the bunch, going 19 for 26 for 246 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Sam Darnold also found the end zone twice for the Seattle Seahawks, finishing 17 for 34 with 188 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Daniel Jones, meanwhile, went 19 for 28 for 144 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for the Indianapolis Colts.
At receiver, Stefon Diggs hauled in three passes for 38 yards and a touchdown for the Washington Commanders. Jalen Nailor matched that yardage total for the Raiders, catching four passes for 38 yards and a touchdown.
Danielle Hunter added to the stat sheet for the Houston Texans with one tackle and one sack.
Elsewhere, Camryn Bynum’s day with the Colts didn’t show up in the box score, as he had no registered stats. J.J. McCarthy, now with the New York Giants, was on bye.
Special teams had a former Viking in the mix too. Chase McLaughlin was perfect for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, hitting all three of his field goals with a long of 48 yards and converting his lone extra point.
In Other News...
Justin Jefferson Frustration Adds To Growing Vikings Concern
Justin Jeffersons mood after the latest Vikings loss was hard to miss, and Kevin OConnell did not try to downplay it. The receivers frustration has become part of the larger conversation around an offense that knows it has to do a better job of getting its top playmaker involved more consistently, especially when the margin for error is already thin.
OConnell also had injury updates to sort through as Minnesota tries to steady itself in the week ahead, with Christian Darrisaw and Theo Jackson both dealing with issues that could affect the lineup. Amid the noise, Blake Cashman has drawn strong internal praise for the way he has handled leadership and defensive communication, a useful reminder that the Vikings are still looking for stability on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Late-Game Tactic Got Sniffed Out At The Worst Time
Late-game clock management has become one of the NFLs more subtle chess matches, and the Vikings found themselves on the losing end of it when a familiar tactic was put under the microscope. An intentional offside can be used to stop the clock and force a decision, but it also risks giving the other sideline a chance to manipulate the situation if the opponent knows exactly what is happening. In this case, the move was part of a broader effort to create a better path for a comeback drive.
The wrinkle was that the tactic did not stay hidden for long. Lions coach Dan Campbell saw it coming and declined the penalty, cutting off Minnesotas chance to gain the kind of strategic advantage the play was designed to create. Tom Brady, on the broadcast, recognized the setup right away, a reminder that coaches such as Campbell and Mike Vrabel have become well-versed in the rule and the gamesmanship around it. [Read more 🡒]
P.J. Fleck Sounds Off After Gophers Let Signature Win Slip Away
Minnesota came painfully close to landing the kind of win that can change a season, only to watch a signature opportunity slip away against No. 4 Indiana. P.J. Fleck spent his postgame reflection on the 23-16 overtime loss weighing what it means when a team puts itself in position to beat an elite opponent and still walks off the field empty-handed, a reminder of how slim the margin can be in a game like this.
The late stages had all the drama of a breakthrough moment, with the Gophers answering the challenge and forcing the Hoosiers into a tense finish. Fleck also turned his attention to quarterback Drake Lindsey and the bigger picture for Minnesota, making clear the program still has room to grow if it wants to turn near-misses against top-tier competition into the kind of win that sticks. [Read more 🡒]