Victory on the Edge: Takeaways from the Vikings’ Nail-Biting Week 13 Win
The Vikings pulled off another last-second victory on Sunday, with this one resulting in a 23-22 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Both of these teams have playoff hopes that are very much alive at the moment, so this could be a game that we look back at as one that was make or break for these two franchises. The Cardinals fell to 6-6 after the loss and are now seated at second in a very tight NFC West race, one game behind the team that they will face next week in the Seattle Seahawks. As for the Minnesota Vikings, after finding another way to pull out a victory, they improve to 10-2, keeping pace with the Detroit Lions by remaining one game back in the NFC North Standings. The Vikings will have another home game next weekend against a returning Kirk Cousins and the team he signed with during the offseason, the Atlanta Falcons.
First Takeaway: Aaron Jones’ Ball Security Is Not a Problem
One of the reasons that this game was so close between the Vikings and the Cardinals was due to a few lost possessions on the part of the Minnesota offense, Aaron Jones in particular. Jones only had eight touches during the game on Sunday, and he put the ball on the ground twice. Luckily for the Vikings, Brian O'Neill was able to dive on one of the fumbles and stop it from becoming a turnover. Jones was able to get a bit of redemption at the end of the game and be the hero, scoring what would be the game-winning touchdown. While this wasn’t his best game by any stretch, it is certainly not time to freak out or give up on Aaron Jones. Jones has lost three fumbles this season; however, he has only lost a total of 11 fumbles in his illustrious eight years in the NFL. Ball security has never been a huge concern for Jones, and I don’t think that one bad game should change that.
Second Takeaway: Sam Darnold Is Clutch
Sam Darnold came through for the Vikings when they needed it most once again over the weekend. Darnold put together a very poised and impressive final two drives and threw the game-winning touchdown pass to bring home a victory for Minnesota. Darnold was able to do the same exact thing last week against the Bears. Darnold had a few weeks where he really struggled with turnovers, but he has been absolutely lights out recently. Over his last three games, Sam Darnold has thrown for 811 yards, has seven total touchdowns, and has no interceptions. It is no surprise that the Vikings are 3-0 during that stretch, and as long as Darnold is playing at this level, the winning should continue.
Third Takeaway: Secondary Could Be in Trouble
The Minnesota Vikings secondary played pretty well on Sunday, all things considered. Cornerback Shaquill Griffin even came away with an interception that sealed the game. Byron Murphy also picked off Cardinals’ quarterback Kyler Murray on Sunday. However, some of the veteran pieces of this group were unfortunately banged up during the contest. Minnesota lost their number one cornerback, Stephon Gilmore, to a hamstring injury. The severity of his injury is yet to be known, but his absence will be felt heavily if he is forced to miss time. Future Hall of Fame safety Harrison Smith also missed some game time on Sunday with an injury of his own. If these two veterans are unable to stay healthy, it is very difficult to see Minnesota being a serious threat come playoff time.
