Minesota sure was lucky to come out of that game with a win. The Minnesota Vikings again barely managed to eke out a win as the they rode their defense to a last-second stop of the New York Jets to win 27-22 and improve to 10-2 on the season.
The Vikings are an extraordinarily lucky team. If the NFL gods were just a little bit crueler, then this team would be struggling to reach .500 and competing against the Packers and Lions for the NFC North division title. But, luckily for them, the NFL gods have shone their favor upon them as the Vikings ended up winning almost all of the games they should have lost and sit easily atop the NFC North with a 10-2 record.
And this game encapsulated the Vikings season to perfection.
The New York Jets played a surprisingly all-round (expect for the 2nd Quarter) great game. Apart from a pop-up pick in the 1st two minutes of the game and a desperation INT in the last seconds, Mike White put in another good shift for the Jets offense. Completing 31/57 passes for 369 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT, and then rushing for a TD, White was a big part as to why the Jets were able to stay close in the game for as long as they did.
Hooking up with Garrett Wilson (8 REC, 162 yards) and Corey Davis (5 REC, 82 yards) on many occasions, White demonstrated a control over the offense that Zach Wilson, who was benched and inactive for a second straight week, has ever displayed in his two years with the team.
It’s pretty obvious that White is not only a better passer and a more skilled ‘thrower’ (i.e.: better arm strength, talent, skill, accuracy, velocity) of the football than Wilson, but he’s also just a better leader.
If Wilson went down 20-6 to any team in the NFL, let alone the “second best” team in Minnestoa, he and New York would have folded faster than a lawn chair. But not White.
No, Mike White kept his composer, held the Jets offense together by settling everyone’s nerves with his confidence, and brought the Jets back in the second half to outscore the Vikings 16-7. If he could have made just one or two more throws today, he realistically should have walked away from US Bank Stadium with his second win as a starting quarterback in the NFL.
Nevertheless, it’s obvious that he needs to be the starter from here on out. It’s no longer a case of “Wilson is a better QB but is not experienced/devoted enough to start” as White has shown he is the better quarterback than the former BYU star.
As for the Vikings, it should be clear that I’m not the biggest fan of this team. To be honest, I think this is one of the weakest 10-2 teams I’ve ever seen as they not only have relied upon their opponents beating themselves in too many games this season, but they also just aren’t that good on both sides of the ball to make a serious playoff run.
It was the shortcomings of the Patriots (well, actually the officials that called back Hunter Henry’s TD) and Bills that decided the Vikings games against those two teams, not something Minnestoa did special to win the game. And, with a few of their other one score wins going against them, this team could easily be sitting on a 6-6 or a 6-8 record today.
Moreover, other than Justin Jefferson (7 REC, 45 yards. 1 TD), who is a certified stud, and maybe Dalvin Cook (20 CAR, 86 yards, 1 TD), the Vikings offense doesn’t have any bite or fervor that can win them a playoff game, let alone the Super Bowl.
Adam Theilen (2 REC, 27 yards) is pretty much shot at this point in his career, Jalen Reagor (1 REC, 38 yards) is a bust, T.J. Hockenson (4 REC, 33 yards) has not been the dominating force they traded for, and Kirk Cousins (21/35, 173 yards, 1 TD) is Kirk Cousins.
Yes, he’s a competent quarterback who will usually get 3,500+ yards, around 30 TDs, approximately 10 wins for his team per season, and get them into the playoffs as a Wild Card seed or a division winner in a weak division. Plus, he’s also a very funny and down to earth guy, which is something I admire a lot.
It’s good to see athletes not take themselves so seriously as the media and the sports world tends to idolize them, but those admirable qualities don’t negate the reality that he isn’t a winner. The Vikings will never win a Super Bowl…well, probably just in general…but definitely not with Cousins under center. He’s just not at that level to elevate his teams to win meaningful games in January and February.
Now, that’s not a knock against him personally as that’s the case with many players in the NFL. Not everyone can be Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, and Aaron Rodgers.
The Vikings were lucky to hold onto a win today as Harrison Smith, Patrick Peterson, Camryn Bynum, and the rest of the Vikings defense came up huge on that final drive to stop a surging White and Jets offense in its tracks.
Anyway, I would also like to point out how well the Jets defense played today. Quinnen Williams, Jordan Whitehead, Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed, and C.J. Mosley were the standout stars in this elite Jets defense as they not only held the Vikings offense to under 300 total yards, but they also kept Justin Jefferson quite with only 45 yards.
Sure, they didn’t win the game, but those stats just prove they are as lethal a defense as any in the NFL.
Unfortunately for New York (7-5), I don’t think their amazing defense will be enough to see them over the playoff line. Some of the teams in the AFC Wild Card picture are in a much better position offensively, which is what will ultimately be the downfall of the Jets. Mike White has been a breath of fresh air but he’s not the savor of the franchise…I think.
As for the Vikings (10-2), they’re obviously going to make the playoffs as the NFC North division winner. Though, they better hope the Eagles trip up here and there in the final stretch as if they don’t get the 1st seed bye, the Vikings are going home after just one game.
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