Kirk Cousins, Vikings Complete Sweep of AFC East With 27-22 Win Over Jets
In this story:
So many Vikings games this season have followed nearly an identical script.
They come out strong and take an early lead. Then they go into a mysterious lull, which sometimes starts in the second quarter but always includes a dreadful performance in the third quarter. Finally, once they've let their opponent back into the game, they find a way to make enough plays in the fourth quarter to emerge victorious, sometimes with the outcome coming down to the final seconds. Oh, and the defense gives up a bunch of yards but stiffens on third down and in the red zone and creates at least one turnover.
Facing the New York Jets on Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium, the Vikings followed the script to a T once again. They used a 17-point second quarter to jump out to a 20-6 lead at halftime. Then they averaged fewer than a yard per play in a nightmarish third quarter, holding the Jets to four consecutive field goals as their lead shrunk to five. Then, in crunch time, they somehow found a way to get it done.
With 16 seconds left, Cam Bynum picked off Mike White on 4th down to seal the Vikings' tenth victory of the season. Like they've done all season long, they stepped up in the biggest moments to move to 10-2 with a 27-22 victory over a good Jets team.
These Vikings must lead the NFL in drama. Outside of a Week 1 win over the Packers and a couple blowout losses against the NFC East, every game has been like this. They keep playing with fire by failing to put teams away, and they keep escaping without any burns. This can't be good for the health of fans everywhere, but it's gotten them to ten wins. The Vikings can clinch the NFC North next week with a win over the Lions.
By beating the Jets, the Vikings completed a sweep of the AFC East, which has been one of the best divisions in football this year. All four wins came by eight points or fewer. It's just what this team does.
The Vikings, as is often the case, were beaten badly in the yardage battle. The Jets out-gained them 486 to 287, with Mike White throwing for 369 yards ten days after Mac Jones threw for 382 in the same building. But as defensive coordinator Ed Donatell said this week, yards never won or lost a game. What matters more is how a defense plays in the moments that determine wins and losses.
Despite all of their yards, the Jets went 3 of 16 on third down in this game. They were 2 of 5 on fourth down. And in their six trips inside the red zone, they came away with just one touchdown, three field goals, a turnover on downs, and the Bynum pick that ended it. Harrison Smith also intercepted White on the first series of the game thanks to a Bynum deflection, making him the leader among active NFL players with 34 career picks.
Kirk Cousins didn't have his best game on Sunday, by any means. At times throughout the afternoon he looked a little bit off, accuracy-wise, which is atypical. He finished just 21 of 35 for 173 yards and a touchdown to Justin Jefferson. But one thing is for sure about Cousins: he's playing some tough, determined football these days. The Vikings' veteran quarterback took a bunch of hits and didn't let it rattle him. He also picked up a big first down on a third and 9 scramble in the second quarter, setting up one of Minnesota's touchdowns.
Offense was a bit of struggle for the Vikings, particularly after halftime. But they got rushing touchdowns from both Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison in the second quarter, went 9 of 18 on third down, and put together one big drive in the fourth quarter that ended on Jefferson's fourth touchdown reception in the last five games. Most importantly, they didn't turn the ball over once.
Is this formula for winning games sustainable? In theory, it shouldn't be. The Vikings would obviously like to figure out a way to put a team away one of these weeks and win by double digits. But for now, as long as they keep winning, they'll take it.
Everyone can exhale again. The Vikings are 10-2. Enjoy this crazy ride for as long as it lasts, folks.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.
