Kyler Murray’s first four full games as the Minnesota Vikings’ starting quarterback have had enough good moments to hint at what this offense can become, but the rough edges have shown up too. Murray and Kevin O’Connell have both said the unit is close to putting it all together, and Week 8 against the Detroit Lions offers a chance to turn that belief into something more concrete.
The matchup lines up neatly for Minnesota, especially through T.J. Hockenson.
Detroit has been vulnerable on defense early in the season, and one of the clearest issues has been stopping tight ends. That weakness was on display in last week’s 20-17 loss to the Green Bay Packers, when Tucker Kraft saw six targets and turned them into four catches for 48 yards and a touchdown.
Hockenson’s season has followed a similar up-and-down rhythm to the passing game around him. Before arriving in Minnesota, his fit with Murray in Arizona made it easy to picture a bounce-back year.
That has shown up in flashes, but not consistently. In three of his six games, Hockenson has either scored a touchdown or topped 100 receiving yards - and in the 100-yard game, he was close to finding the end zone too.
In the other three, he managed just 47 yards and no touchdowns. One of those quieter outings also ended early after he suffered a concussion on his first catch and never returned.
The numbers point to a connection that should be leaning Minnesota’s way. According to Pro Football Focus, Murray leads the NFL with a 93.9 percent completion rate on short throws of 0-9 air yards, and 18 of Hockenson’s 27 receptions this season have come on those kinds of passes.
That matters even more with how Detroit has defended the position. The Lions have allowed the most receptions to tight ends in the league with 56, along with 602 yards and 10 touchdowns. Minnesota’s wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison also stand to benefit if the middle of the field starts opening up, but Hockenson looks like the cleanest pressure point.
Detroit’s linebackers have been part of the problem. Jack Campbell and Derrick Barnes were both picked on in coverage against Green Bay, and Nolan Bianchi of The Detroit News noted that Campbell allowed all eight of his targets to be caught for 78 yards, while Barnes gave up seven receptions for 81 yards. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard did not make any obvious schematic changes to cut down on that exposure, and opponents have continued to target Campbell.
Jefferson and Murray still have not fully found their groove together, which has been an issue that stretches back to last season. Part of that is the attention Jefferson draws from defenses, and the hope is that more work for Hockenson can help change the picture.
For Minnesota, the route to a cleaner Sunday feels obvious. If the Vikings are going to get Murray rolling and finally see the passing game settle in, Hockenson is the easiest place to start.
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The running back chatter is the part that will keep fans talking, especially with Minnesota already connected to Jonathan Taylor as a possible target. The Vikings also have multiple draft picks to work with, which gives them some flexibility if they decide to make a move, but for now the bigger question is how aggressive they want to be before the deadline passes. [Read more 🡒]
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J.J. McCarthy Is Reviving A Vikings What-If In New York
J.J. McCarthys first start for the Giants gave New York a glimpse of why the quarterback was such a fascinating prospect in the first place, and it also reopened an old Vikings conversation in a new setting. Giants general manager Joe Schoen addressed the teams quarterback picture after the debut, noting the presence of two young passers on the roster and the possibility that the position could become a real competition going forward.
For Minnesota, McCarthys rise in New York brings back the familiar what-if attached to a player whose path has already included injury setbacks and a long wait to get on the field. His promising showing only adds to the sense that the Giants may have found a piece worth building around, while Vikings fans are left to wonder how different things might have looked if his development had unfolded in purple instead. [Read more 🡒]