Matthew Coller: Everything that went right and wrong for the Vikings vs. Packers

The Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers by two points but the box score told a different story as the Vikings outgained the Packers 441 to 271 and had the football for 35:30 in time of possession. Let’s take a closer look at how they outplayed the Pack…

What went right

Clean-pocket Sam Darnold

Out of 43 times the Vikings quarterback threw the football against Green Bay, 30 of Darnold’s attempts were without pressure, according to PFF. Darnold completed 26 for 315 yards and three touchdowns.

He also got rid of the ball in 2.37 seconds when he did not have pressure, which demonstrates the connection between the system, weapons, QB’s decision making and pressure. The Vikings receivers were getting open quickly and Darnold was getting the ball to the right places without hesitation.

The short and deep passing game

Another piece of evidence that the system is working and the passing game is humming is when a team is winning in multiple ways. Darnold was successful both pushing the ball downfield and in the quick game.

When he elected to throw the ball over 20 yards in the air, he completed four of five attempts for 99 yards and two touchdowns. The only incompletion was an impressive pass breakup on a 50-50 ball to Jordan Addison.

When throwing the ball under 10 yards in the air, Darnold went 25-of-26 for 194 yards (7.5 yards per attempt). It doesn’t get any better than that in terms of quick-game efficiency.

All the pass-catchers

All three Vikings receivers made a case as having the best game vs. Green Bay. Justin Jefferson, as per usual, led the team in receiving with 92 yards and made an absurd one-handed catch that was taken off the board by a holding call. Jalen Nailor caught all five targets his way, including a explosive touchdown pass. Jordan Addison, caught six of eight targets, including a very impressive route that resulted in a touchdown.

O’Connell talked at length on Monday about Addison’s progression.

“He's able to play through contact, and it's a physical game, not just route running, just his role in the run game and his willingness to do that part of the job has been critical,” O’Connell said. “Finishing plays in the red zone. He's had some unbelievable catches laying out for a few. I mean, even last night he had to go and get that ball, a really well-thrown ball, but kind of a unique play there where he's stopping and then restarting again. Just all the what makes him so special, he puts on display…I commend him for really playing through the early part of the season, even though he wasn't at 100%. And now that he is, you can see his impact.”

The receivers weren’t the only ones making key plays. TJ Hockenson had 68 yards receiving, Aaron Jones had four receptions for 30 yards and CJ Ham and Cam Akers made important grabs on the final drive.

Pass protection, especially Dalton Risner and Cam Robinson

Tying in with Darnold’s clean-pocket passing was the big dudes up front doing their job against a nasty Green Bay front. No Vikings individual lineman allowed more than three QB pressures on Sunday afternoon and center Garrett Bradbury had a bounce-back week with only one allowed.

Dalton Risner, who is now up to the 12th best pass blocking guard in the NFL per PFF, had the highest grade of the day (70.5) and was deemed responsible for only two pressures. It’s now safe to say that the addition of Risner to the lineup has been a massive success for O’Connell.

The two tackles played quality football as well, with Cam Robinson and Brian O’Neill both gave up three pressures and graded solidly.

“I thought the protection was phenomenal,” O’Connell said. “Against a really good, really good active front, both the interior and those guys on the edges. I just once again, [Brian O’Neill] was phenomenal on the right side. And I thought the interior, really, with the challenge that it was, those guys really stepped up. There were some big time moments where we stayed on the field via some conversions where Sam had to hold the ball to get from one to two to three to four, maybe back to three, hitting TJ over the middle on one of those conversions. I just think they were phenomenal.”

Blake Cashman is a superstar

Week after week, Cashman continues to be a driving force of the Vikings defense. Against a team that typically runs the football well and has a bevy of quick-game receiving options, the middle linebacker was on his game, grading the second highest of all Vikings defensive players. He totaled seven tackles with zero missed tackles and three stops for negative plays and 1.5 sacks.

Overall Cashman ranks as the 13th best linebacker in the NFL and has racked up the fourth most pressures. But as good as his grades are in individual areas, they don’t begin to capture his value to the Vikings defense.

Jonathan Greenard rushing the passer

The Vikings’ edge rusher is putting together one of the best edge rusher seasons we have seen in recent memory in Minnesota and a top-five pass rushing performance in the NFL this season. After eight QB pressures against the Packers, Greenard (77) is second only behind Myles Garrett (79) in total pressures.

Greenard was the head of the pass rush snake against Jordan Love, who averaged 4.6 yards per attempt under pressure on Sunday.

Harrison Phillips vs. the run

The Vikings did an admirable job against running back Josh Jacobs, only allowing 69 yards on 17 carries and just one run over 10 yards. Defensive tackle Harrison Phillips was at the center of the run defense with three tackles, two of which were for negative Packers plays. He had the highest PFF grade on the defensive side for the Vikings (80.5) and his second highest grade of the year.

What went wrong

Will Reichard’s rough afternoon

The Vikings kicker returned strong from a mid-season injury by making 5-of-6 field goals and all of his extra points prior to the matchup against Green Bay. But he was slightly off against the Packers, missing a 57-yarder short and then hitting the post on another kick. Reichard also missed on an attempt that was canceled out by a penalty.

Is there reason for concern about the young kicker?

“I just told him, hey, next one is going to be the best one,” O’Connell said. “My confidence in Will is as sky high. An unbelievable session on Thursday when he was kicking. Hit the first one true. That's my confidence level. If we think we're anywhere near the range, I'm going to give him a swing. He's a phenomenal kid, great makeup. The next kick's going to be his best kick is how I look at it, and I know our team does as well.”

Overall, Reichard has been very good. He’s made 80.8% overall, made 7-of-9 field goals from 50+ and has gone 38-for-38 on extra points.

Closing out the game

The Vikings have spent the vast majority of the season ahead in games, especially the fourth quarter. In fact, no team has more defensive plays when leading in the fourth than the Vikings. Overall their numbers are decent-to-good, allowing 4.1 yards per play (12th) with a league-lead 12 interceptions. They have sacked the opposing QB the second most (18) but also allowed 18 scoring drives (most in the NFL).

Against the Packers, giving up two late-game touchdowns wouldn’t have been an issue if they hadn’t happened so quickly. They reached the end zone at 6:12 of the fourth quarter and then got the ball back immediately and scored again at 2:18, giving them the edge of the two-minute warning.

While O’Connell has leaned into being aggressive, not winding the clock more after the Packers cut the score to 27-18 gave them a puncher’s chance in the waning moments. That has happened several times this season, including the first matchup with the Packers, against the Jets in London and versus Chicago on the road. As they go into the playoffs, they can’t leave the door open for opponents to get second chances in the fourth quarter.

Filling Aaron Jones’s shoes

All credit to Cam Akers for making one of the play of the season by catching Darnold’s fluttering pass to end the game but when Aaron Jones went out with a leg injury the Vikings didn’t run the ball effectively. Between Akers and Ty Chandler, they gained a total of 25 yards on 11 carries — and that’s with runs of 7 and 16 yards mixed in. Akers has done a good job overall spelling Jones, picking up 4.0 yards per carry since arriving back in Minnesota, but without a dominating run blocking O-line the Vikings’ run game in the postseason is going to rest on Jones’s shoulders.

Darnold under pressure

This season the Vikings QB has been one of the best under pressure in the NFL. That was not the case versus Green Bay. In his 13 attempts while feeling the heat, Darnold only completed seven for 62 yards and had his lone turnover.

There is a long-held belief among stats analysts that under-pressure performance is inconsistent. There are a lot of variables that can cause it to shift from week to week. While Darnold is excellent at creating extra time for himself and making plays off schedule, there is more volatility than playing in rhythm from the pocket. That’s why Darnold’s quick game improvement as the season has gone on is important to sustain into Week 18 and beyond.