Report Card: Grading Vikings in Loss to Saints
By Henry Dorgan
Sep 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) looks to pass the ball against the New Orleans Saints in the first half at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Nobody, including myself, gave the Minnesota Vikings a fighting chance to upset the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes Benz Superdome. The Saints are nearly unbeatable at home, Drew Brees is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and the Vikings defense was extremely exposed by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in last week’s 30-7 loss.
Much to my surprise, the Vikings remained competitive throughout game. There were certainly some lows for the Vikings, but once I took a closer look, I noticed that they also had some positives in their 20-9 loss vs. New Orleans.
Passing Offense: B-
Sep 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (5) passes against the New Orleans Saints during the second quarter of a game at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
Vikings starting quarterback Matt Cassel did not impress Vikings fans, as he ended the game throwing five completions on ten attempts for 53 yards. The game became more intriguing when Cassel exited the game due to turf toe, which led to the debut of Vikings’ 2014 first round draft pick Teddy Bridgewater. One promising factor was how elusive Bridgewater was when Saints defenders tried to tackle him in the pocket. Another positive was the performance of Greg Jennings, who provided some key third-down conversions for the Vikings and recorded 70 yards on five receptions.
One glaring negative was how nervous and ineffective Cassel looked before he was injured. Cassel played very similar to the way he played against the Patriots last week, which will cause some concern for the Vikings. I am giving the passing offense a B- because of the way Bridgewater played after Cassel’s injury. With Cassel reportedly for the foreseeable future with multiple fractures in his foot, it will be Bridgewater’s team moving forward.
Rushing Offense: D+
Sep 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Matt Asiata (44) carries the ball in front of New Orleans Saints middle linebacker Curtis Lofton (50) in the first half at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Boy, do the Vikings miss Adrian Peterson. Running back Matt Asiata is clearly not the franchise running back, for he has averaged 3.1 yards per carry this year. Asiata recorded 35 rushing yards on 12 attempts against the Saints, which made winning this game very difficult. One encouraging element of the Vikings’ rushing offense was quarterback Bridgewater, who evaded defensive pressure often, rushing for 27 yards, which included two key first downs. I am giving the rushing offense a D+ because Asiata clearly is not the answer at halfback for the Vikings.
Pass Defense: D
Sep 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham (80) carries the ball in front of Minnesota Vikings cornerback Josh Robinson (21) in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
Every team that faces the Saints knows stopping their future Hall of Fame quarterback will be an issue. This thought reigned true for the Vikings, as Brees recorded 293 yards on 27 completions for two touchdowns. The Vikings could not figure out how to stop wide receiver Brandin Cooks and tight end Jimmy Graham, as this tandem was targeted a combined 18 times, resulting in 14 completions. Another huge reason why the Vikings’ passing defense struggled was the Saints’ success rate on third down, which amounted to a staggering 69-percent. Many third down conversions for the Saints came on passing plays. The MVP of the Vikings’ defense was Harrison Smith, as he defended multiple potential completions. I am giving the Vikings’ pass defense a D due to allowing Brees to throw all over them.
Rushing Defense: C+
Sep 21, 2014; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Khiry Robinson (29) carries the ball past Minnesota Vikings defenders in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Crystal LoGiudice-USA TODAY Sports
The Saints are not known for their potent rushing offense, as they have the philosophy of utilizing a plethora of running backs in their offensive scheme. This includes Khiry Robinson, Pierre Thomas, Travaris Cadet, and the injured Mark Ingram. Robinson received most of the carries for the Saints’ offense today, rushing for 69 yards on 18 attempts. In the beginning of the game, the Saints were running all over the Vikings. The Saints did not have a rushing attempt, which resulted in zero or negative yards on their first drive and much of this success can be attributed to Robinson. However, the Vikings were able to slow down the Saints running backs later in the game. I am giving the Vikings rushing defense a C+ because they finished the game much better than they started against Robinson and company.
The Vikings did not do as bad as I thought they would do against the Saints, but their performance surely was not something to write home about. The Vikings head home next Sunday to play the Atlanta Falcons and their high-powered offense.